The Government has been told that IRA-linked criminal activity at Dublin Port has eased off in recent weeks, but has not ended, according to Government sources. Mark Brennock, Chief Political Correspondent, reports.
The Government told Sinn Féin some weeks ago of its concern about what the Minister for Justice last week called "criminal heists" in Dublin Port, which, he said, were carried out by the IRA.
The sources said they believed this had led people in the leadership of the republican movement to encourage those involved in this activity to stop.
The Taoiseach confirmed in the Dáil yesterday that the Government believed its raising of the matter had led to a scaling down of such criminal activity.
"I believe the fact that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I have raised these matters, particularly Dublin Port, has indirectly resulted in a lot of action being taken that might put an end to some of this criminality, or the linking of criminal gangs being orchestrated elsewhere.
"There is also good intelligence which indicates that the message is sinking home, and some of these acts might end."
Mr Ahern said yesterday that while he had been briefed about these activities, he would like to see gardaí get proof, and they would be given whatever resources were necessary.
Mr McDowell said last week that Sinn Féin figures had been involved in this activity, which had taken place both in the past and recently.
Government sources said yesterday that they had raised this matter in private with Sinn Féin - some weeks before Mr McDowell and the Taoiseach went public on it - and the level of this activity had been reduced.
Responding to the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, in the Dáil, Mr Ahern said the authorities would "continue to investigate these activities through the Criminal Assets Bureau and the various Garda intelligence units".
He said he would like to see the Garda get proof in relation to such acts, but this was beyond his control.
"There have been many suggestions about racketeering in petrol, vodka and so on, of which the Garda is well aware. I have been given briefings about the matters we indicated recently, but I would rather not go into the specifics."