It's a well-known fact that the PIRA, RIRA and CIRA are all Marxist and not Catholic organizations.
Too many stupid Irish Catholics in the US, who are in their daily lives God-fearing Catholics and enthusiastic supporters of the free market, insist on supporting Democrats at home and terrorists abroad. My relatives are among this benighted lot and it drives me crazy.
The police can only say what they are permitted to say. Policing is not devolved but is handled by London and Dublin civil servants with London playing the main role if agreement cannot be reached.