In Northern Ireland some so-called ex-criminals murdered some other ex-criminal and you'd have to say that this kind of thing happens every month in Southern Ireland too.
The question up North though is are these guys EX-criminals or are they still hard at it? It is a valid question to ask and the police force must investigate and let the politicians know what they find.
However, the political response is kind of dopey. You see, the ex-criminals may, (or may not), have ties with one of the political parties in power, (Sinn Fein). Nothing is investigated or proven yet. But the political response inside Government is to bring the Government down.
Now forgive me, but if small elements in society are seeking to overturn or usurp that society then surely what is needed to fight back is a sitting Government. If they truly believe that there is a threat from a resurgent IRA then why would they purposely collapse the one institution empowered by the people to defend it.
The Northern Ireland Government is a coalition and it occurs to me that what is motivating certain parties is not state security but political careers. The cynic in me suspects that one side of the Government is seeking to ditch its coalition partner in favor of taking control itself.
One just hopes that the IRA or some other crowd of nutters don't spot their chance in the ensuing vacuum.