IRA should dispose of ill-gotten assets - DUP

The IRA should give back the proceeds of racketeering and smuggling, the DUP said today.

The IRA should give back the proceeds of racketeering and smuggling, the DUP said today.

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said republicans needed to return the proceeds of crime as part of their commitment to the rule of law.

His comments follow three days of intensive talks at St Andrews, Scotland, that have agreed a blueprint for restored power-sharing.

Mr Donaldson said: "It is a crime for any individual or organisation to retain the proceeds of crime. That is criminal activity, and if the IRA is ending criminality it will need to make arrangements to dispose of its assets."

READ MORE

The DUP negotiator said that was largely a matter for the security forces and added that his party was focused on the wider picture of restoring devolution.

A schedule was agreed last week aiming for the first and Deputy First Ministers of the administration would be nominated by November 24th.

They are likely to be DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley, as First Minister, and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness as deputy.

This would lead to a new executive being formed by a target date of March 26th next year. However, the schedule is subject to Sinn Féin endorsing policing arrangements and the DUP agreeing to share power with republicans.

Sinn Féin has called an Ardfheis to discuss these and other issues before giving the Irish and British a response by November 10th.

The DUP leaders are meeting tomorrow to discuss the way forward, with a wider period of consultation promised.

PA