HC Deb 03 July 2003 vol 408 c470W
Mr. Dodds

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment has been undertaken of(a) the capacity of the Real IRA to manufacture bombs and (b) whether the Real IRA is receiving co-operation from the Provisional IRA. [122642]

Jane Kennedy

The bombs intercepted recently in Londonderry and the explosives find near Dundalk in the Republic of Ireland clearly demonstrates that dissidents have the capacity to manufacture bombs. While dissidents remain a threat to the peace process, the security forces on both sides of the border continue to disrupt, intercept or thwart their operations through good intelligence-led policing and covert operations. The Government's security advice is that PIRA remains on ceasefire and supports the peace process.