Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The IMC report has generally been viewed as a positive report. It is important to note that there has not been any evidence of IRA paramilitary activity, such as authorised attacks, recruitment, training, targeting or involvement in rioting, since last July. It is also important to note that the report states that "the present PIRA leadership has taken the strategic decision to end the armed campaign and pursue the political course" to which it committed itself last July. A huge change is taking place in a complex organisation. The PSNI, the British Army, the Irish security forces and everyone else who is involved understands that this process will take time. I hope, obviously, that the final aspects of criminality and intelligence gathering, which are totally unacceptable and wrong will have ended by the time the next IMC report is published in April. It cannot be denied that a significant amount of progress has been made. That needs to continue if we are to build trust and confidence. I emphasise that the IMC and IICD reports have confirmed, contrary to negative reports from some quarters, that a strategic decision to pursue politics by peaceful means has been taken by the leadership of the IRA. That such a decision has been taken is not being questioned by any of the groups concerned.

There has been a great deal of debate about the issue of weapons, arising from the IMC report. I have outlined the comments I made and I do not propose to return to that issue. When I was asked about Mr. Kincaid's remarks, I said he must have some information on which to base such comments. While there have been many debates about the weapons issue, it should be borne in mind that the IMC and IICD reports do not contradict each other. The IMC has said it received certain reports, but it did not state definitively that weapons have been retained. The matter was not investigated by the IMC but by the IICD, which concluded in its report that in the absence of evidence to the contrary its statement of 26 September regarding IRA arms remains correct. I am just quoting the facts. The IICD is responsible for the decommissioning issue and it has our full confidence. The work of both the IMC and the IICD is very valuable and I am very grateful for the work which is ongoing.

I am in total agreement with Deputy Kenny on the other two points. There are a number of concerns about ongoing intelligence gathering and crime. The IRA is a complex organisation and requires time to move in transition. The next step is in April and we must also see the back of these issues. We also made it clear, irrespective of the positive developments that have taken place, including those recorded in the IMC report, that any assets acquired illegally by people or organisations, whether they have paramilitary links or not, will be fully pursued. The Garda is very active on that front in a number of areas, such as money laundering and other financial crimes. The investigations into that activity continues and there are quite large numbers of gardaí involved.

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