Sinn Féin's approach to the peace process was strongly defended by its Cavan-Monaghan TD, Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, in the Dáil last night.
He strongly criticised a joint Government-Fine Gael motion, calling on the republican movement to end all paramilitary and criminal activity, claiming that false allegations had been made in the House and in the media. The motion was agreed following talks between the Government and Fine Gael on Tuesday.
Sinn Féin and several other TDs challenged a vote on the motion at the end of a debate on it, but did not have the required 10 TDs to do so. Sinn Féin was supported by the Independents Mr Tony Gregory, Dublin Central; Mr Seamus Healy, Tipperary South; Mr Finian McGrath, Dublin North Central; and Mr Joe Higgins, Socialist Party, Dublin West.
Mr Ó Caoláin said: "Huge progress was made in the peace process last December. It is sad that so many in this House are so blinded by their anti-republican prejudice that they cannot acknowledge or understand the enormity of what the IRA was on the point of delivering at that time, including putting all arms beyond use by the end of 2004," he said.
"Instead of building on that, the governments allowed the agenda to be set by rejectionist unionism and thus created the impasse we have today."
He firmly believed the process could be put back on track. "Sinn Féin is determined to fulfil our part of the collective responsibility to address all the outstanding issues, including unionist reluctance to share power with nationalists, and the issue of arms and armed groups."
Mr Ó Caoláin wanted to put on record his absolute rejection of all the false accusations of criminality made against the party. "As our amendment states, we reject criminality of any kind," he added.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, said the simple message was there was no room on the island, North or South, for anyone who sought to share in the executive authority of any institution set up by the people on the basis of pursuing democratic politics while in an alliance with paramilitaries.
He added that criminality had been going on consistently on both sides of the Border on a sustained basis since 1998, moderated now and then to suit the Provisional strategy.
He had already told the House of how criminal activities were moved from Dublin to Belfast. "And the adjutant of the IRA in Belfast, a man who rubbed shoulders with people whom we see on television prattling on about human rights and the peace process and their mandate, began to organise major criminality in Dublin," he added.
The man, said Mr McDowell, had threatened those who had made a mess of his arrangements with death if such things happened again.
Mr Finian McGrath (Independent, Dublin North Central) said that it was time for cool heads but also some straight talking.
His position was that people should pursue political objectives by exclusively peaceful and democratic means, and he rejected criminality in all its forms.
But he had concerns about sections of the motion, as he believed all victims should be treated with the same respect and dignity and he did not accept that some were more equal or more important than others.
"I have many friends who are victims of the Northern Troubles, and I have yet to hear them call for revenge or retaliation and they all want this project to succeed," he added.
They also had to face up to the reality that there were three major groups involved in violence on the island.
"You have physical force republicans, unionist violence, and British state violence mixed with collusion," Mr McGrath added.
