Yesterday in an operation north of the Border at Killeen a number of members of an illegal organisation hijacked a truck carrying 3.3 million cigarettes which were worth approximately €1.6 million. According to the Garda and the PSNI, the raid had all the hallmarks of a Provisional IRA operation. It follows on the heels of the discovery of a scam in the building construction area by the Provisional IRA. This comes a week after the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said he was certain that organised crime, particularly involving the Provisional IRA, was funding Sinn Féin. The Taoiseach has indicated on a number of occasions that Sinn Féin and the IRA are two sides of the same coin. Given the comments of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and yesterday's illegal activities north of the Border, does the Taoiseach share the view of the Minister that an illegal organisation, namely, the Provisional IRA, is funding Sinn Féin and, if so, what does he and his Government propose to do about it?

I do not have any information about yesterday's significant seizure of cigarettes. There have also been other activities recently which are being investigated. I am aware of what the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform said in response to questions he was asked about this matter. Every Member of the House accepts that there can be no room for ambiguity on such issues in a democratic society. The Minister is determined to ensure that these criminal acts and organised gangs, regardless of where they come from, are dealt with.

Sources in Sinn Féin have contacted me to point out that they have nothing to do with any of these things and they continue to make that position clear. Deputy Kenny is correct but I have also said, throughout my political career, that I consider the IRA to be the opposite side of that coin.

During Question Time today I spoke about the importance of the International Monitoring Commission. Its role is to ensure that there is scrutiny of paramilitary activity and it is vital, if we are to establish the type of trust and confidence we spoke about during Question Time, that the IMC should do its job.

Deputy Kenny will appreciate that I am not at liberty to speak about security briefings or security issues, but I am aware that the Garda has been investigating certain activities by people who may have connections with the Provisional IRA. There are a number of these cases and I have been briefed on them, but it would not be appropriate for me to go into the details of the briefings.

I accept that the Taoiseach cannot comment on sensitive matters arising from security briefings. However, is he happy with the evidence presented to him by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, based on the latter's certainty that organised crime by the Provisional IRA is funding the Sinn Féin Party?

This is a democracy. I accept the Taoiseach's bona fides in his differentiation of right and wrong in the funding of political parties. This is provided for in legislation and I accept it. However, I do not accept that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform can confirm publicly, based on evidence available to him, that he is absolutely certain an illegal organisation is funding a party that has successfully contested elections. Without outlining the security details, does the Taoiseach accept the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform's comment that the Provisional IRA and organised crime are funding the Sinn Féin Party and, if so, what does the Government propose to do about it?

My party is, correctly, constrained by law in how it raises money and we adhere to that. However, I will not stand for a situation in which an illegal organisation that is pursued by the Garda authorities is, according to the evidence of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, funding a political party in this House. The Taoiseach must ensure that this is stopped and, if necessary, that the CAB is given extra resources to go about its business effectively.

I am constrained in what I can say but I wish to make a number of points. I do not have evidence that a political party in this House is funded by illegal activity. I do not have that evidence and I am not going to say that. Senior people in Sinn Féin have made it clear to me that this is not the case and that they reject these accusations.

Ultimately, it is a matter for the Garda to pursue criminal activity, regardless of who the perpetrators are, and to examine the connections. The Garda is doing this. There has been a number of big cases, some of them high profile, on which I have been briefed. There are certainly suspicions about them so I will not say there is nothing in all this. There have been occasional allegations that Provisional IRA members have been involved in what might be called organised crime, such as robbery and hijackings. That is a fact. They are not proven cases and they have not been dealt with in the courts, but obviously the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has more details about these matters. I am aware that the Garda has been investigating certain activities by people who may have connections with the Provisional IRA. I have been briefed accordingly and I do not wish to mislead the House.