Taoiseach denies FF guided IRA ceasefire

THE Taoiseach yesterday strenuously denied that a Fianna Fáil representative urged the IRA army council to delay the restart of its ceasefire in 1997.

The IRA ceasefire restarted in July, 1997, just a month after the general election when Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats came to power.

Yesterday Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny questioned the Taoiseach on what he described as a persistent claim, that a FF Oireachtas member met the army council, prior to the general election, and asked them to delay the implementation of the ceasefire. Mr Ahern rejected the suggestion, saying it did not happen and emphasised his personal involvement at the time.“I do not in my knowledge believe anyone in Fianna Fáil ever met the army council. I would be certain about that, because I was deeply involved in that period. I would be emphatic.”