Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

My best estimate of the number of members of the IRA was between 1,100 and 1,500 persons. I have no doubt that some of them were capable of sadistic, thuggish and brutal activities in the past and may be tempted to repeat such actions in the future on their own account. The gravamen of the statement of 28 July is that they cannot adhere to that statement while engaging in any breaches of the law of any kind.

See this speech in context