IRA needs time to consider future, says Ahern
The IRA will need several months to decide whether it will cease violence, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.
The paramilitary organisation has been urged by Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams to end its armed struggle and to embrace democratic politics.
At the St Raphael’s Credit Union in north Dublin, Mr Ahern said the internal process of dialogue within the IRA had to take place.
“As I understand it, that is going to take some months. But the fact that it is taking place I welcome and the idea of trying to rush it in a week or two is not necessary.”
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams indicated on Sunday that the IRA is unlikely to respond to the call to disband until after the Britain’s general election.
Mr Ahern said he hoped the peace process would then resume.
“I don’t see any progress until we see these issues dealt with and obviously the main one would be what the IRA sees as its future. If it’s positive, then we’ll be able to move on again, there’s no reason why we won’t.”
He rejected accusations from Sinn Féin that Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern and Justice Minister Michael McDowell were interfering in the North's general election campaign in Northern Ireland by visiting candidates from the SDLP.
Mr Ahern said this was not a fair criticism because even though his own party has long-standing links with the SDLP, the ministerial visits had always been even-handed.
