McDowell denies ‘nod and wink’ deal with IRA

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday strongly denied the Government had done a secret deal with the IRA allowing it to hold back some of its weapons arsenal from decommissioning.

He made it clear there was no "nod and wink" trade-off with republicans so they could "protect" nationalist areas in the North from any upsurge in loyalist violence.

"There is no reason to believe the IRA is cheating on its obligations.