Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has accused the Taoiseach of trying to play down the seriousness of the revelation in the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) report that the IRA leadership has sanctioned continuing illegal activities.
"The reality now is that the Government is so determined to please Sinn Féin that it is prepared to ignore and downplay the very conclusions reached by an independent commission appointed by the governments themselves," he said.
Mr Kenny was particularly disturbed by the revelation that the IRA leadership had sanctioned continued intelligence-gathering, but he was surprised by the Government's failure to respond to these revelations.
"The Government has a duty to expose and eliminate these practices. Far from fulfilling this duty, it appears that the Taoiseach and his Ministers are yet again pandering to Sinn Féin," he continued.
"I remind people of the Government's pledge in the aftermath of the murder of Robert McCartney and the Northern Bank raid that there would be no political negotiations until all criminal activities had ended.
"Where lies now Michael McDowell's infamous 'no fudge, no budge' mantra? How does it sit with Dermot Ahern's assertion that the IMC report clears the way for all-party negotiations?"
The Fine Gael leader said he welcomed the IMC's finding that the IRA leadership had made a strategic decision to end its armed campaign and that this position had not changed. However, the IRA statement of last July had promised an end to all activities other than the development of peaceful and democratic programmes, and this had not been adhered to.
"The IMC has found that there is significant IRA involvement in criminal activity, including organised crime, smuggling and money-laundering.
"What I find quite disturbing is the revelation that the IRA is still engaged in intelligence-gathering and spying, that this is being sanctioned by the leadership to support the Provisional movement's political activity and that the organisation has no intention of ending these practices. These activities are an affront to democracy."
Mr Kenny added that people still remembered previous secret deals with Sinn Féin and the IRA - the release of the killers of Jerry McCabe, the bail arrangement for the "Colombia Three", the Dáil speaking rights for Sinn Féin MPs and the presidential pardons for on-the-runs.
"When the Irish people look at the Taoiseach's reaction to the IMC report they will wonder if a concerted effort is being made to sanitise Sinn Féin in preparation for a role in government in this State," he concluded.
