NEARLY half of voters in the Republic (49%) believe that the IRA Army Council oversees Sinn Féin, according to an opinion poll.
The survey also shows that more than half (52 per cent) of respondents believe that the IRA is still engaged in criminal activity.
The poll, which showed a slight dip in the popularity of Gerry Adams, comes in the wake of the murder of republican Kevin McGuigan in Belfast in August which was blamed on the IRA.
The murder led to a crisis in the power-sharing executive with unionists threatening to collapse the institutions.
A British government commissioned a report to monitor the extent of paramilitarism later found that the IRA “remains in existence in a much reduced form” and that its army council is still operating.
The report added that the "Provisional Army Council oversees both PIRA and Sinn Féin with an overarching strategy", while stating that individual PIRA members are involved in criminal activity.
The Republic's Justice Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, said that there was "substantial common ground" in separate assessments carried out, although a Garda report last month said there was "no evidence of a Provisional Army Council, in the generally accepted sense, meeting or functioning in this jurisdiction."
The views of almost 1,000 people were canvassed for the Sunday Independent/Millward Brown poll.
Satisfaction levels with Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams dipped three points to 27 per cent, although the party's position remains unchanged from the last Sunday Independent/Millward Brown poll at 21 per cent.
The Fine Gael/Labour coalition is up seven points to 32 per cent on satisfaction ratings - its highest for almost three years reflecting a possible turning point in public mood.
With a general election in the Republic set to take place before next April, Fine Gael remains the first choice of voters at 29 per cent - up five points, with Fianna Fáil up one point to 24 per cent; Sinn Féin unchanged at 21 per cent; Labour unchanged at 7 per cent and Independents on 19 per cent - down five points.
