Terrorism in Ireland: the past and the future

The importance of motivating factors, predisposing individual characteristics and proximate situational determinants in the initiation and maintenance of the campaign of violence by the Provisional IRA, as proposed by Heskin (1985a) is reviewed. The influence of these factors and others in the possible diminution and discontinuation of political violence in Ireland is considered. Particular attention is given to the changing world political climate and the increasing importance of trans-national political and economic alliances, the evident stalemate in the conflict and the moral nature of the conflict from the perspective of the Provisional IRA as key factors in negotiating a peace settlement