Mr Tim O'Malley, the Progressive Democrat Minister of State, has said that the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe should serve their full jail terms. This is despite the Government's position that they could be released if there is a comprehensive deal in the North.
"My view has always been that they should serve their full terms," Mr O'Malley told The Irish Times last night.
"Journalists should not be asking me, as a member of the Dáil, why they might be let out. They should be asking Gerry Adams why he is demanding that they be let out. They were never part of the Good Friday Agreement."
Two years ago, there had been no question of the men being released and the issue had not been on the negotiating table. "I don't know what has changed and how it has come on to the table."
At the time of the attempted robbery in Adare, the IRA had said that it was not an action authorised by it. Mr O'Malley maintained that this implied that even the IRA saw the incident as a criminal act. So why were they seeking the release of these people now? "I always thought that if an IRA member did something contrary to their own rules, they were dealt with according to their rules. Those people were not acting on behalf of the IRA at the time."
When it was put to Mr O'Malley that this was different from the Government's position, he replied: "My view is I represent East Limerick. People in East Limerick are unhappy about the whole thing. A lot of people, not alone in Limerick but around the country, have contacted me in the past week or two on this."
He pointed out that the Tánaiste, Ms Harney, had said that, in the event of complete verification of decommissioning and an IRA statement that they would desist from all criminal activity, releases could be considered. He continued: "Anything can be considered in the future, but we are not near it now, and I would prefer if it would not be considered at all. Before, if someone murdered a garda, it was a life sentence. Are the people who murdered Jerry McCabe going to get early release? That is a very serious issue for a sovereign government."