SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR SINN FEIN FOLLOWING RTE FEATURE ON IRA CRIMINALITY

Posted on November 4, 2014 5:05 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin Bay North Labour TD and member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, Deputy Sean Kenny, has said that he will write to the Chair of the Committee, David Stanton TD, to request that the Committee hears from experts on IRA and dissident crime following an exposé on their activities was broadcast on RTE earlier today.

"Deputy Kenny was speaking following a feature on the Today with Sean O'Rourke programme where a series of experts on criminal activity in the border region, and stated that the Provisional IRA continues to operate a vast criminal network of up to €40 million and that this network is linked to Sinn Fein."

Deputy Kenny said that these experts, including Sunday Times journalist John Mooney and former Garda Detective Cllr Richie Culhane, should be invited to address the Justice Committee on the IRA's criminal empire and that methods should be discussed about how to assist An Garda Siochana in combatting these activities.

He added that given the certainty with which these experts asserted that these criminals assert an influence within and on the policies of Sinn Fein, it is incumbent on that party to account for their knowledge of these activities.

Deputy Kenny commented, "While there has been much focus on the criminal and other activities of dissident republicans in recent times, it was extremely interesting to hear the radio discussion today where it was clearly stated that IRA crime dwarfs the activities of all other groups."

"Diesel laundering, VAT fraud, agri-crime, property purchases from the proceeds of crime, and drugs were all cited as part of the activities of the Provisional IRA from their base in the border region. When challenged that we are often told that the IRA is no more, the experts were clear in their view that the IRA continues to exist and exerts a considerable influence within Sinn Fein."

"The experts also made reference to how An Garda Siochana and the Criminal Assets Bureau are making efforts to address IRA and dissident crime. But clearly, given the scale of what was alluded to, they need further support."

"For that reason I intend writing to my colleague, David Stanton TD, to ask that the Oireachtas Justice Committee requests these experts to appear before us as a starting point in fully revealing the extent of the IRA's criminal empire."