Two dissident republican groups are holding a series of meetings on both sides of the border to discuss a possible merger, it has been claimed.
Sources claimed that Continuity IRA representatives met their Real IRA counterparts in January and again last month to discuss joining forces.
Both groups plan to hold further talks following meetings which took place in the north and in Co Louth.
The sources suggested, however, that many CIRA members had major concerns about a pact with the RIRA because of concerns that the group is "riddled" with informers.
It is understood that prominent hardline RIRA member Liam Campbell, currently serving a five-year sentence for membership in Portlaoise Prison, initiated first contact with CIRA representatives.
Campbell remains in a separate cell after clashing with other RIRA leaders in the prison after they issued a statement last September calling on the organisation to step down and end its campaign of violence.
The Irish News has also learned that RIRA leaders in Limerick have ordered an internal inquiry to identify a suspected mole in the organisation.
Concerns about informers have grown with the recent arrests of four suspected RIRA members in the region.
It is understood that Limerick members were infuriated by the Portlaoise prisoners' statement last year.
In recent months the group has distanced itself from the mainstream leadership outside the region because of the split that occurred after the call was made for peace.
Security sources also last night (Wednesday) confirmed that gardai suspect that the Limerick group has developed close links with feuding families in the city – even supplying them with weapons.
