'Gardaí never denied Provisional IRA's existence,' says Commissioner as UUP threaten to leave government

Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan has said that the Gardaí have never denied the existence of the Provisional IRA.

She said that a letter to a public representative has been misinterpreted and that an Independent Monitoring Commission report said that the Provisional IRA were still active, just not in a military sense.

News emerged today that the Ulster Unionist Party may leave the power-sharing government in the North in the wake of Kevin McGuigan's murder.

Nigel Dodds is deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party.

He said that it is time for Westminster to get involved.

"The Secretary of State and the Government have a prime responsibility to take action and we will pursue that path," said Mr Dodds.

"People have got to step up to the plate on this, but we've made it clear that if they don't then we will not hesitate to take action."

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said that he has recommended pulling out to senior party members.

It comes after police linked the murder of ex-IRA member Kevin McGuigan to members of the Provisional IRA.

Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister has welcomed the UUP's decision to leave what he calls a totally discredited Executive.

TUV leader Jim Allister said that today's political development will come as no surprise to many.

"I see this as a catastrophic failure of mandatory coalition," said Mr Allister.

"I've seen it coming for some time, and if this is how it works out here and now then I'll shed no tears over that because this was a system that was not delivering for the people of Northern Ireland."