Charlie Flanagan, the foreign affairs minister, has urged Sinn Fein to ensure those with information about recent murders in Belfast supply it to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Mr Flanagan also asked Gerry Adams, the president of the party, to take steps to avoid the collapse of the power-sharing agreement.
The executive of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) yesterday endorsed a decision by Mike Nesbitt, its leader, to withdraw from the Stormont executive. The party said its trust in Sinn Fein had been shattered after concerns that members of the IRA were involved in criminal activity.
There is ongoing speculation that IRA members were involved in the murder of Kevin McGuigan, a former member, in the Short Strand area of Belfast last month, and that his shooting was in retaliation for the murder of Gerard “Jock” Davison, a former IRA commander, in May. It is understood that Mr McGuigan had fallen out with other IRA members but he denied any involvement in Mr Davison’s killing.
George Hamilton, the chief constable of the PSNI, said the Provisional IRA was no longer engaged in terrorism, but that his force was investigating whether the murder of Mr McGuigan was carried out by past or present members.
Advertisement
Mr Flanagan will meet with Theresa Villiers, the Northern Ireland secretary for the UK, in Dublin this week. The pair are expected to encourage the five main parties in Northern Ireland to discuss the matter.
“I believe that a lot of serious talking has got to take place over the next few days before the assembly returns next week,” he told the RTÉ This Week programme yesterday.
Peter Robinson, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader, is due to meet David Cameron, the British prime minister, in the coming days. Mr Robinson’s party said Sinn Fein should be ejected from Stormont.
Mr Flanagan said: “I very much welcome [Sinn Fein’s] call for co-operation in relation to the investigation of recent murders but I believe they must do more.
“They can influence their supporters on the streets of Belfast and across Northern Ireland to ensure that the police are given a level of evidence that will give rise to a situation where these horrendous murders are resolved and those responsible can be dealt with through the criminal courts.”
Advertisement
The ruling coalition in Stormont comprises Sinn Fein, the Alliance party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and the DUP.
Until the weekend the UUP was also part of the government. In June the parties failed to agree a set of budget and welfare proposals.
As co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, the British and Irish governments have a responsibility to ensure the political institutions in Northern Ireland do not collapse.
“I am convinced that given proper and adequate political will, that solutions can be found to current problems,” Mr Flanagan said.
“It seems clear these solutions will not be found within Northern Ireland itself. I am looking forward to a lengthy and wide-ranging meeting with Theresa Villiers over the next few days.
Advertisement
“I don’t see a collapse of the institutions as being a solution to the problem. We have a power-sharing regime. It must be preserved but it will only be preserved if Sinn Fein in particular works towards ensuring that a level of trust and confidence, that appears to be disappearing, is restored.
“That is what the two governments and the five party leaders must turn their attention to working towards over the next few days.”
Mr Flanagan was speaking after Frances Fitzgerald, the justice minister, said she was extremely concerned about the destination of money raised by republican paramilitaries from criminal activities and the potential for these funds to be used to subvert democracy and law and order in Ireland.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Ms Fitzgerald said the gardai had achieved significant success against republicans involved in organised crime rackets, seizing cash and contraband.
“We are treating border crime with the utmost seriousness,” she said. “I would be hugely concerned about the impact on communities, the amount of criminality, the proceeds of crime, and where they are finding their way to.
Advertisement
“Clearly every effort is being made by all the agencies of the state, the Criminal Assets Bureau as well as the police forces north and south who are dealing with this, but these are big criminal operations and we are very concerned about them,” she said.
Speaking at the weekend, Mary Lou McDonald, the vice-president of Sinn Fein, accused rival parties of putting the Good Friday Agreement at risk.
“Rejectionist unionism hasn’t gone away, dissident republicanism hasn’t gone away, and I’d question the motives of experienced political people in adopting this kind of stance,” the Sinn Fein deputy leader said.
“I am satisfied that the peace process is intact and that mainstream republicans are absolutely behind it.”