Republican Paramilitary Groups

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons am 11:30 am ar 4 Mawrth 2009.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Andrew Robathan Andrew Robathan Opposition Deputy Chief Whip (Commons) 11:30, 4 Mawrth 2009

But of course the majority of dissident republicans used to be members of the Provisional IRA, which gained most of its money from extortion and other criminal activity while it carried out murder and terrorism. The Provisional IRA was inextricably linked to Sinn Fein, which now has Ministers in the Northern Ireland Government. Does the Minister believe that Sinn Fein ever benefited from criminal money and drug-related crime? What is his assessment of whether it still has connections with drug-related crime and other criminal activity?