Ministers move to calm fears over IRA

Government ministers have moved to quash suggestions of differences between the gardaí and Police Service of Northern Ireland in their assessments about the existence of the Provisional IRA.

Their moves came amid fallout from the murder of Kevin McGuigan in Belfast which PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton said bore evidence of involvement by Provisional IRA members.

Earlier this year, Nóirín O’Sullivan, the Garda commissioner, said there was no evidence the Provisional IRA remained active — a statement heavily publicised by Sinn Féin.