The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has responded to last night's IRA statement on the Robert McCartney murder by saying it was unusual for the IRA to suspend people in a public fashion.
The IRA said it had expelled three people from its ranks following an investigation into Mr McCartney's death.
Mr Ahern said the expulsions are a recognition of what the McCartney family had been saying, and recognition of support for the family.
Speaking while canvassing in Celbridge in Co Kildare, Mr Ahern said the real question now is would people be convicted of the murder. He said the only way this could happen would be for anyone with information to co-operate with the PSNI.
He said anyone with evidence, including IRA evidence, would have to co-operate so that prosecutions and convictions would follow.
Mr Ahern said if there was no intimidation of witnesses then people would come forward. He said people had information on what was a very public murder.
The Taoiseach said the community was outraged at the killing and that what we were now seeing was a reaction to pressure.
End of IRA activities important: McDowell
The Minister for Justice said the IRA statement underlines the whole issue of the importance of ending the activities of the IRA in their entirety.
Michael McDowell added that this was not a question that can be resolved by small gestures like expulsion of IRA members.
He also said that he did not believe the public should be beguiled into thinking that the IRA becomes in any way improved or tolerable as a result of some of its members being put out.
The minister said the entire organisation is 'intolerable, unlawful and is aimed at subverting democracy in Ireland'.
Asked whether he had anticipated last night's statement, he said he always anticipates 'slick propaganda moves by the republican movement in the face of strong, adverse criticism'.
Kenny cites sisters' courage
The Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, said the IRA statement was a testament to the courage and bravery of the McCartney sisters. He said it was also an admission by the IRA that its members were involved in this murder.
Mr Kenny said the kind of justice meted out by the IRA in kangaroo courts was not the kind of justice the McCartney sisters wanted. The Fine Gael leader met the McCartney sisters in Belfast last week.
Statement forced: Rabbitte
Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte has said the IRA statement had been forced out of them by the McCartney sisters.
He said the statement was welcome if it truly removed obstacles to the murder investigation.
Mr Rabbitte said it appeared, if taken at face value, to be a significant step forward in the traditional approach to co-operation with the criminal justice system in general, and the police service in Northern Ireland in particular.
He added: 'In the longer term the real test of the IRA's bone fides will be whether or not they are prepared to release communities in Northern Ireland from the thuggish hold they have exerted over them for far too long.'
Damage limitation - Durkan
The SDLP leader, Mark Durkan, has described the IRA statement as a damage limitation exercise.
Speaking in Belfast, Mr Durkan said the statement was 'a bit closer to the truth, but not the whole way to justice'.
The SDLP Deputy Leader, Alasdair McDonnell, said there had been 12 Provisionals involved in the attack on Mr McCartney, and that some of the culprits were being protected by sacrificing three.
Reg Empey of the Ulster Unionists has described the statement as a cynical face-saving exercise.
Ian Paisley Junior of the Democratic Unionist Party said nobody should be fooled by the diversionary tactic of a pretend purge by the IRA.
