Gerry Adams has challenged the Irish government to arrest Sinn Fein's leadership over claims they were behind several bank raids.

The Sinn Fein president was reacting to Bertie Ahern's acceptance of the International Monitoring Committee report into paramilitary activity that concluded the party's leadership sanctioned the robberies.

Adams said of the Irish prime minister: "He has no option but to have us arrested, to shut up or to put up on this issue."