I haven't heard or seen any evidence to support these theories either, Larry.

In the rush some people make to attribute every event or statistic that crops up, to the direct involvement of the IRA; a syndrome that occurs from being constantly exposed to Whitehall spin, they often forget to supply that evidence.

We often forget to ask ourselves the question, "Who are the IRA?"
The IRA are the Irish Republican Army. They only exist in the context of a of a struggle for freedom and justice. There is nothing in their manifesto (to my knowledge) to align them with any other cause but that.
When resident groups in Dublin got together in Ballymun and Tallaght, and marched on the houses of known heroin dealers, and disrupted their trade enough, that they were forced to re-locate, did the newspapers and broadcast media blame any organisation on it?
No. It was the action of concerned residents, they said.

Now put that in the context of the north of Ireland, and see where all the scenarios could go.

We have to be very careful about where we draw the line, here, and what is attributable to whom.
It may be popular to belive that every form of nefariousness that emanates from the north of Ireland can be laid at the doorstep of this "omnipresent" IRA. It cannot.

B.