As somebody who has seen and continues to see at first hand the damage, the corrosive damage, that so-called paramilitarism has caused to communities, there absolutely is a comparison.
Suggesting otherwise is denying the lived experience of victims.
https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/republic-of-ireland/no-comparison-between-ira-and-gangland-violence-mary-lou-mcdonald-42122881.html