SINN FÉIN presidential candidate Martin McGuinness has denied killing anyone when he was a member of the IRA, but declined to say any more on his activities during that time.
“I was involved in the IRA and I’ve made that clear. I didn’t kill anybody, I didn’t shoot anybody. I’m not going to get into the detail of all of that,” he said.
Mr McGuinness said he wanted to open up Áras an Uachtaráin to unionists and continue to work to unite people.
He explained the circumstances that led him to join the IRA in 1970. He said he had many regrets about the conflict.
“Many young people of my generation were involved in attacking the British army and the RUC with petrol bombs and stones, with anything they could get their hands on, and I was no different from any of the rest of them. I don’t divest myself of my responsibility during the time I was in the IRA,” he said. “I have plenty of regrets about the fact there was almost 25 years of conflict in which many people lost their lives, British soldiers, UDR men, RUC men, IRA volunteers and innocent civilians, absolutely. But when I first entered electoral politics, 30 years ago next year, I took up my responsibilities to bring conflict to an end.”
Mr McGuinness declined to answer whether he ever ordered a killing, and what his daily activities as an IRA member entailed.
“I’m not going to get into what I did on a daily basis except to say that when people make their judgment of me that they have to judge me in the round,” he said.
The North’s former deputy first minister vacated that role last Monday, but considers his good working relationships with the Rev Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson as evidence of his credentials for the presidency.
“Anyone that can develop a positive working relationship with Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson can do anything. I was told at one stage it was impossible. It was a British prime minister that told me that. I told him he was wrong, and I was proven right,” he said.
The relationship between the leaders has functioned well and “shocked the world”, Mr McGuinness said.
“Whenever it became clear that he and I would be in government together, I made huge efforts to treat the man with respect and recognise his mandate on behalf of the unionist people of the North. Out of that, he and I shocked the world,” he added.
Mr McGuinness said he would use the presidency to provide leadership, start a debate about a new Ireland and to enhance economic opportunities for the country.
He lived comfortably on £300 (€340) per week and wished to accept a similar wage if elected president to empathise with the working class, he said.
“Money is not a god for me and I have decided the best way to show people that we can move away from the terrible era of greed and selfishness is by showing people that I am prepared to share in the pain . . . they face,” he said.
He wished to continue the “tremendous work” of Mary and Martin McAleese in reaching out the hand of friendship to loyalists.
“I want the Áras to be an open house for loyalists and unionists . . . given that there’s been so much misery and conflict over so many decades since Ireland was partitioned.
“I want to take that work forward, sure in the knowledge that the peacemaking I have been at the centre of building in the North will continue,” he said.