The total of weapons surrendered in the Northern Ireland peace process has amounted to a couple of unusable homemade machineguns and a rifle of first World War vintage handed in by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in November.
This token decommissioning succeeded in having the organisation included in the programme for the early release of prisoners, even though it had been flagrantly involved in sectarian assassinations up to a few months previously.
All its prisoners were subsequently released.
Likewise all IRA, Ulster Defence Association, Ulster Volunteer Force and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners were released and amnesties put in place for past crimes committed by these groups.
However, none of them has surrendered a single weapon or indicated that it has destroyed even obsolete weapons. The IRA has gone furthest by reportedly allowing the inspection of two arms dumps by the former Finnish president, Mr Martti Ahtisaari and Mr Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC.
In fact, all of the main terrorist/paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland are reported to have continued to train and recruit new members and to gather intelligence on potential targets.
It is known the IRA has continued gathering information on RUC personnel and sizing up security bases in the North for attack.
The IRA is known to have continued to import weapons from the US. It dispatched an arms-buying team to Florida and New York between 1997 and 1998 with a very large amount of cash, put at up to $2 million by FBI sources. This operation was overseen by the IRA's quartermaster, a Co Cavan man.
It is suspected the IRA has also probably established arms-supply routes in former Yugoslavia. The anti-agreement republican group, the "Real IRA" has already done this, and there is speculation that loyalists, too, have acquired arms from the Balkans region.
The IRA has continued to target, train and carry out operations to "blood" its gunmen. In the past 18 months it has killed up to eight people for alleged involvement in drug-dealing or criminal activity.
These are Joseph Foran (38), shot dead in Finglas; Thomas Byrne (41), in north inner Dublin; Edward McCoy (28), in south Belfast; Nicky O'Hare (35), in Dundalk; Ciaran Smyth (39), in Co Meath; Bobby McGuigan (36), in Lurgan, Co Armagh; Christopher O'Kane (37), in Derry; and Paul Daly (38), in central Belfast.
The IRA has also carried out a large number of "punishment" shootings and beatings since its ceasefire.
Again senior security figures see this activity as a way of blooding recruits. The killings and beatings also act as a deterrent to any gang or individual who might seek to challenge it.
Senior sources also indicate that the IRA is not against criminal activity or drug-dealing per se as it is known to extort large amounts of money from people engaged in these activities. The major Dublin drug gang responsible for the murder of Veronica Guerin is suspected of supplying weapons to the IRA as well as money.
It is suspected the IRA was behind the theft of an estimated £4 million worth of cigarettes from Belfast docks on June 8th. It is also believed it is heavily involved in, and may have total control of, the supply of smuggled or tax-evaded cigarettes. In parts of Northern Ireland these cigarettes, costing more than a £1 sterling less than legal cigarettes, are referred to as Provo cigarettes. They are sold through shops, taxi depots and other businesses in Catholic areas. They are even sold from ice-cream vans.
IRA and former IRA figures are also known to be heavily involved in the legitimate security business, particularly in the supply of security guards for commercial premises and shops. This business is well established in the Republic and is growing in Northern Ireland.
This could become an issue in Northern Ireland if it is proposed that local police partnership boards are able to levy funds for the hire of security companies to do policing work.
Security figures say the IRA has become rich since the ceasefires began and that, although many figures are beginning to show signs of affluence, much of this money is pouring back into the organisation. It is also raising money in the US where it is reputed to have built up links with organised crime.
There does not appear to be any significant investigation of the IRA's involvement in illegal activity, and since the process of arms inspection began last year it is believed that security forces were directed away from looking for IRA arms lest the putative decommissioning process be affected.