Ireland

North issues not just about IRA says Adams

The problems in Northern Ireland's peace process cannot be reduced simply to the existence of the IRA, Sinn Fein president Gerry…

Sun Mar 27 2005 - 00:00

The problems in Northern Ireland's peace process cannot be reduced simply to the existence of the IRA, Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams insisted today.

During a commemoration in Derry of the 1916 Easter Rising, Mr Adams launched a scathing attack on the Government claiming it had put political self-interest before the peace process in recent months.

Since December the British and Irish governments have sought to reduce all of the issues to one - that is the issue of the IRA - even though they know that the IRA is not the only issue
Gerry Adams

But he also signalled republicans would face hard choices in the future as they pursued peace and a united Ireland. The West Belfast MP said: "The process is in serious difficulty.

"Much of this is being driven by an Irish Government fearful of the growth of Sinn Fein and our determination to challenge the mess the establishment parties in Dublin are making of the economy, of health, of education and of the peace process.

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"Since December the British and Irish governments have sought to reduce all of the issues to one - that is the issue of the IRA - even though they know that the IRA is not the only issue.

"What about policing? Demilitarisation? Human rights and Equality? The political institutions?"

Republicans have faced a barrage of criticism in recent months following Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde's assessment that the IRA carried December's Stg£26.5 million Northern Bank heist and claims that it covered up the murder of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney.

Prominent Irish American political leaders including Senator Edward Kennedy have called on the IRA to wind down. Sinn Fein has also been engaged at times in a bitter war of words with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Justice and opposition leaders like Fine Gael's Enda Kenny and Labour's Pat Rabbitte.

Mr Adams said today the Government's "shallow and short sighted" approach to the peace process and "vitriolic" attacks on Irish republicans had eroded confidence in the peace process among nationalists.

Sinn Fein would, he said, meet Mr Ahern after Easter to discuss all of the issues for the peace process. But he warned his party would not be dancing to an agenda set by his ministers nor would it be lectured to.

Mr Adams urged colleagues to give serious and calm consideration to the current political situation and talk among themselves where they were, how they got there and where they must go in the future.

PA