THE GOVERNMENT last night endorsed Garda Commissioner Patrick Culligan's statement that there was "no doubt whatsoever" that the IRA murdered Det Garda Jerry McCabe.
Asked to respond to the Commissioner's statement, a Government spokesman said. "The Commissioner's word on this must be taken as absolutely authoritative and there can be no doubt that the IRA was involved. This is accepted by the Government.
Asked about Mr Culligan's comments, the Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said in Dublin last night, where he was addressing a meeting, that he believed the IRA statement to the effect that it had not been involved. He added. "In the past, when it was in many ways very unpopular for the IRA to claim responsibility for actions, they did so."
Asked if he would use the word "condemn" in relation to the murder of Det Garda McCabe, he said that the killing was "completely and utterly wrong", adding. "I repudiate and renounce it."
The search continued yesterday for members of the seven member IRA unit which is believed to have been involved in the fatal shooting of Det Garda McCabe and the wounding of his colleague, Det Garda Ben O'Sullivan, in Adare, Co Limerick, last Friday.
Gardai last night arrested another man in connection with their investigation. The 39 year old man, from Limerick, was brought to the city's Henry Street station at about teatime. Another Limerick man, who had been held for two days without charge, was released later last night. Altogether, 12 people have been questioned.
Gardai are understood to have strong evidence to connect at least two well known IRA members to the murder scene. One is originally from Dublin, but has been living in Shannon for several years, and the other is from north Co Cork.
The Garda Commissioner confirmed the IRA involvement in a brief, unexpected public statement yesterday.
Asked who he believed was responsible for Det Garda McCabe's murder, Mr Culligan said. "As far as we are concerned, I and members of the Garda Siochana have no doubt whatsoever that it was carried out by members of the IRA." He described the shooting as an "appalling and dastardly crime" which had sent shockwaves throughout the length and breadth of the State.
This sharply contradicts the IRA statement, which is accepted by the Sinn Fein leadership.
In its statement last Friday, the IRA said. "None of our volunteers were in any way involved in this morning's incident in Adare. There was absolutely no IRA involvement."
Earlier yesterday, the Government Chief Whip, Mr Jim Higgins, challenged Sinn Fein to make its position clear on the murder. He said. "There should be no dancing on a pinhead. If Sinn Fein is convinced that the IRA have not been involved, if they accept the IRA statement, then they should have absolutely no problem whatsoever in condemning the murder of Garda McCabe."
The Sinn Fein position was also challenged by the Opposition. Fianna Fail's justice spokesman, Mr John O'Donoghue, said. "The fact of the matter is, whether they like it or not, the Provisional IRA leadership must accept accountability in relation to this".
The word of the Garda Commissioner could not be considered "a fanciful notion" and the killing of a garda, along with the wounding of his colleague, amounted to an attack on the democratic institutions of the State, Mr O'Donoghue added.
Describing the remarks of Commissioner Culligan as "significant", the Progressive Democrats' spokeswoman on justice, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said that she had formally requested a Dail debate on the shootings last Tuesday. However, the Government had refused to allow a debate.
"Is it right that the murder of a garda is relegated to a five minute adjournment debate in the Dail? It has taken the murder of a garda in action by subversives for us to hear any details of the actions of the IRA in Munster throughout the ceasefire", Ms O'Donnell added.