The murder of Paul Quinn caused political fall out on both sides of the border at the time with questions raised about the killing in the Dáil.

Then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said at the time that following a security briefing he was assured the murder was not sanctioned and "not paramilitary but pertained to feuds about criminality that were taking place".

Mr Ahern, responding to questions by then Labour leader Eamon Gilmore, later told the Dáil he made the comment in relation to the political implications for the recently restored Stormont government.

He later clarified them by saying: "I shared certain information about the lines of inquiry being pursued and in speaking about criminality I was responding to questions asked on whether the murder had a political motivation or implications for the Northern Ireland Executive.

"I did not in any way intend to make an issue out of the character of Paul Quinn and I am happy to make that clear to the House.

"I am glad to state what the minister told the family yesterday, that we have no evidence whatsoever that Paul Quinn was involved in criminal activity."

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Mr Ahern said that "the only people in this case who are criminals are the ones who murdered Paul".

However, he added that "no information is available to me from the Garda Commissioner to suggest this attack was authorised or sanctioned by the IRA, a question I am continually asked outside the house".

In November 2007, the International Monitoring Commission - a body set up to monitor the status of paramilitary ceasefires - said current and former members of the IRA may have been involved in the murder.

However, in its full report in May the following year, the commission stated that the IRA was not responsible for the murder.

With cross border smuggling common practice in the area at the time and largely ignored by law enforcement in both jurisdictions, there were attempts to link the victim to a fall out among smugglers, which angered his grieving family.

Conor Murphy repeated the comments made by Mr Ahern in a BBC interview several months after the murder of the 21-year-old in a cowshed near Castleblayney in Co Monaghan.

He said at the time, "Paul Quinn was involved in smuggling and criminality and I think everyone accepts that".

The parents of Mr Quinn have repeatedly said these comments have added to their distress and called on the Sinn Féin assembly member to withdraw them, calls that have been amplified in the southern media in the run up to Saturday's election.

Mr Murphy, now Finance Minister, said on Wednesday, "I apologise for those remarks and I unreservedly withdraw them."