Gerry Adams’ denials of IRA link ‘not tenable’

Senior cabinet ministers have rounded on Sinn Féin, insisting it has questions to answer following revelations the provisional IRA still exists and telling party leader Gerry Adams the “point of ambiguity” over his past “is long gone”.

Máiría Cahill

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, Environment Minister Alan Kelly, and Jobs Minister Richard Bruton took the hardline approach as it was strongly suggested a new cross-border group funded by the British and Irish governments may be set up to tackle connected crime.

Speaking after assessments by MI5 and the gardai concluded the structures of the provisional IRA remain in the North in some form, that a legacy of crime continues in the South, and that the supposedly decommissioned army council oversees both the provisional IRA and Sinn Féin, the Government figures said now is the time for honesty.