IRA 'refusing to rubber-stamp peace deal'
The IRA has not given its leadership permission to rubber-stamp a deal on the North's peace process, it was reported.
RTE have also claimed that while some significant progress had been made in recent talks, there was anger among IRA volunteers that sanctions might be employed against Sinn Fein.
It quoted “usually reliable” sources responding to recent media reports that the group’s leaders had been given the go-ahead to agree a deal.
RTE news said sources insisted such speculation was wrong.
There was no question of the IRA issuing a statement that it has or is about to disband, it was reported.
However the sources told RTE that if agreement was reached between all the parties there would be further “verifiable acts of decommissioning” and a statement from the paramilitary organisation about its future intentions.
It also said that there was no question that any acts of decommissioning would take place before television cameras.
The sources said the official decommissioning body was the only way to verify these acts.
Although “substantial progress” had been made during last week’s talks in Hillsborough Castle on areas such as policing and criminal justice, it was claimed that IRA volunteers are outraged at the question of sanctions.
