Tánaiste Joan Burton has accused Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams of being out of touch with the democratic values that underpin the Irish State, as she sought to exploit Sinn Féin’s pledge to abolish the Special Criminal Court.

Calling on him to withdraw the manifesto pledge to get rid of the jury-free court, Labour leader Ms Burton said: “We live in a proud Republic, a good Republic.”

Pointedly, she said she did not regard Thomas “Slab” Murphy, who has been convicted before the Special Criminal Court of tax evasion, as “a good republican”.

The SF leader responded to sustained criticism of his party’s position on the issue by saying that the controversy had been “hyped out of all proportions” by opponents seeking to damage his party’s election hopes.

However, the issue will continue to dominate the headlines in coming days, since Murphy is due for sentencing tomorrow by the Special Criminal Court – regardless of the court’s ruling. The maximum sentence is five years.

Sinn Féin’s call for the abolition of the court and repeal of the Offences Against the State Act has come under sustained attack from the Coalition parties and Fianna Fáil as the election campaign hots up.

‘Cult’

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins delivered some of the strongest lines of the day, saying: “To me and to most people Sinn Féin are a cult, they’re not a political party. I think they are bereft of any credibility in terms of their stance on [this].

“I think people are appalled and disgusted and I think it really shows them up for what they are and people are worried about it . . . they want kangaroo courts but they don’t want the Special Criminal Court.”

The gangland killings in Dublin have shifted the focus from the economy, which was centre-stage when the campaign began. They have also put Sinn Féin on the defensive at a time when it was hoping to emphasise issues such as the health service. Speaking on Ocean FM in Sligo, Mr Adams said again that the stance was one long held by Sinn Féin and was being used by its political opponents to undermine the party.

Organised crime

The Sinn Féin leader said many other countries had bigger problems with organised crime than Ireland but said that it could tackle it without the need for a Special Criminal Court.

Mr Adams said the party believed everybody was entitled to a jury of their peers.

Sinn Féin’s enterprise spokesman, Peadar Tóibín, said that the party wanted to see the democratic rights of every person in the State upheld.

“It is possible and reasonable that citizens who live in a democratic society have a right to a jury court,” Mr Tóibín said.

Mr Adams said: “A non-jury court is a significant reduction in those rights and it is not just us who is saying this – it is the UN Commission on Human Rights, Irish Council of Civil Liberties, Amnesty International and politicians from other different political parties. It is possible to protect juries.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the proposal to abolish the Special Criminal Court made no sense.

“Ireland is a small country and everybody knows everybody in Ireland. People would be afraid. People would pay the fines to not show up for a jury.”

Mr Martin said that Sinn Féin hated the Special Criminal Court because it was used to defeat the IRA. He pointed out that colleagues of Mr Adams were put away by the court.

The Fianna Fáil leader also said that the proposal proved Sinn Féin was not fit for government.