Dail Report: The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said yesterday that the IRA had not gone far enough on the issue of ending illegal activity.
Mr Ahern said the Government had always been clear, and it was commonly understood through the entire period of engagement, that the end of all paramilitary activity must also encompass all other illegal activity.
"The IRA statement on Thursday, while confirming their intentions in relation to that organisation moving to a new mode, issuing instructions to volunteers and completing decommissioning to a rapid timescale, did not address this issue in the clear terms required by the Government," he added.
"Clarification is required that the IRA's commitment is, indeed, to a complete ending of paramilitarism and other illegal activity. We are duty bound to satisfy ourselves on this point."
Mr Ahern said that humiliation did not play any part in the Government's proposals and could not be part of the process.
"Publication of any photographs would not have taken place until the formation of the Executive which would be in March, several weeks following the completion of decommissioning," he added. "If all this had worked, my own view is that a far more compelling photograph would have been one of the formation of a DUP-Sinn Féin-led Executive at that time."
On the release on the killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe, the Taoiseach said he had addressed the issue in a comprehensive way and the circumstances in which their release would arise. "But let me repeat what those circumstances are," he added.
"It could only arise in the context of a comprehensive agreement in which the International Monitoring Commission report that all IRA paramilitary activity had ceased and the IICD reported that all IRA arms had been decommissioned."
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said Fine Gael's record in the peace process had been one of strong support, both in government and opposition, in public and in private.
"Some ministers in this Government need to learn that bipartisanship works both ways. If the bipartisan approach to Northern Ireland was broken, then it was broken by Fianna Fáil when the Taoiseach did his secret side deal with the republican movement to break his word to the Irish people in relation to the murderers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe," he added.
"The fact of the matter is that until yesterday, I had received no briefing of any description from the Government on Northern Ireland issues for over 14 months.
"It may also interest them to know that when I did receive briefings during 2003, the Taoiseach's plan to release these common criminals was never once mentioned."
The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said many unfair accusations had been levelled against Mr Kenny, because he had asked an entirely legitimate and proper question about whether an agreement had been reached relating to Det Garda McCabe's killers.
"Suggestions have been made that I, too, was not acting in the national interest by seeking the publication of side agreements relating to this and other matters," he added. "Such accusations, whether made against Deputy Kenny, myself or other members of the House, amount to no more than attempted political blackmail."
