I cant speak for Deirdre Hargey and what she knows or doesn't know about the brutal murder of Robert McCartney, suffice to say the cover-up is despicable.
The "Stormont-gate" affair was clearly politically contrived. A mass raid to bring down the institutions as pressure on Unionists power-sharing with SF with an armed IRA mounted.
The charges were quietly dropped as "not in the public interest", really? Who gets to decide that IRA spies, that brought down the democratic institutions, should not be charged?
Would it have anything to do with the alleged 'spy-ring' involving a British spy, Denis Donaldson? Its clear to me that yes is the answer there.
I don't know of Ted Howell, suffice to say government ministers taking advice or direction from unelected advisors is not uncommon. If British media outlets are accurate in their reporting today, its clear that unelected advisors are wielding alot of influence on decision making of 10 Downing St.
But to answer your question directly, in consideration of the standing down and disarmament of IRA, with orders to engage in political activity - yes, I expect them to behave differently in this jurisdiction.