The IRA apologised today to the families of the "disappeared" who were abducted, killed and buried by the group during the Troubles.
The apology comes after the Garda confirmed on Monday that the remains found at Shelling Hill beach in Co Louth were those of Mrs Jean McConville. Mrs McConville (37) was abducted and killed by the IRA in 1972.
The IRA said it was sorry for the grief caused to family members for so long. It also insisted it had re-examined all available information and even revisited burial sites, in an attempt to find remains.
Information on the locations where both Mrs McConville and another of the so-called Disappeared, 17-year-old Columba McVeigh from Co Tyrone, were buried was passed on to the authorities.
The Provisionals claimed they had acted in good faith and would continue to do so. The statement said: "Our intention in initiating our investigation has been to rectify this injustice, for which we accept full responsibility.
"During the course of all of these searches we have continued to process all information that might assist in any way. So far the remains of four people have been recovered. We will do all that we can to bring closure for the other families.
"If further information comes to light we will assess and process that information," the IRA said.
But Mrs McConville's daughter, Ms Jean McKendry, claimed the apology was worthless to her.
"It's just meaningless words," she said. "For the IRA to apologise after almost 31 years, they could have ended this a long, long time ago. They just put the family through sheer hell. The McConville family will never ever be right again."
Along with Mrs McConville's remains, the burial sites of Mr Eamon Molloy, who was abducted in 1975, and Mr John McClory and Brian McKinney have all been located.
But Seamus Wright, Kevin McKee, Columba McVeigh, Brendan Megraw, Danny McIllhone and British soldier Capt Robert Nairac are still missing.
It is believed the IRA murdered three others whose bodies were never found, including Armagh man Mr Gareth O'Connor who vanished in May.
But the terrorist organisation insisted it was not responsible for the disappearance of others who have gone missing over the last 30 years.