The Dáil has overwhelmingly backed a Fine Gael motion calling on those with information on the killing of Robert McCartney to go to the PSNI.
During the debate, the Minister for Justice claimed that the IRA was planning to transform itself into what he called a 'gendarmerie' enforcing Sinn Féin's political strategy.
Michael McDowell told TDs that while the public had been led to believe that the provisional movement planned a clean transition from paramilitarism to politics, the reality was somewhat different.
The army council intended to transform the organisation by getting rid of politically embarassing heavy weaponry and becoming, what Mr McDowell termed a lightly armed gendarmerie to act as enforcers for Sinn Féin's drive for political power.
He said that murders like the killing of Robert McCartney drove many of the activities of the provisional movement which the IRA intended would continue.
Caoimhghin Ó Caolain said his party supported the thrust of the motion but backed a Sinn Féin amendment broadening its terms to urge people to give information to other agencies as well as the PSNI.
He said the Foreign Minister, Dermot Ahern, had been blinded by his deep rooted antipathy to Sinn Féin when he had initially insisted that people must go to the police.
The Fine Gael motion was backed by the Government and the main opposition parties and was passed without a vote.
