Ahern says governments expect IRA reply soon

The Irish and British governments believe the IRA might respond before the August holiday break to Gerry Adams's plea to embrace democracy, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil.

"The two governments expect to hear a response over the summer. We expect to hear one in the weeks immediately ahead prior to the holiday break in August. That is what we believe, although we do not have any definite information."

Mr Ahern said if the timescale was not kept to, he would regret it, but that was not the biggest issue.

"The biggest issue is that when we receive a response, we get the right one. That is still my position. It would help everybody if we could remove the uncertainty."

He said he welcomed the fact that all over the island of Ireland there had been a meeting of people who had been involved in Provisional IRA activities during the years. They knew this from intelligence and other sources.

"That they are debating this issue is good, and I hope we will get the right answer from them."

Replying to a series of questions, Mr Ahern said the Government's position remained that it wanted an unambiguous end to all paramilitary and criminal activity. "This means a full end to paramilitary activity with clear instructions that those involved in these activities cease."

Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said it was very frustrating for the democratic parties who were unable to proceed with normal business until they had the IRA statement.

He added that many members of the public were repelled by statements, most latterly attributed to the Taoiseach, that the IRA should become some kind of commemorative organisation and the implications of such a statement in terms of the 1,700 people murdered by the IRA.

Mr Ahern said nobody had suggested to him what the IRA as a group would do if they could move to a peaceful mode in which paramilitary activity, violence and criminal-related activities were over.

"I have talked about this to many people in Northern Ireland, including the unionist political parties. It was Mr David Trimble, as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, who said that a commemorative organisation was something that would be acceptable to him."

The Taoiseach added that to try to say they should not commemorate somebody who had been killed or was a colleague was not to live in the real world.