No half-way between violence and politics, Bruton tells Sinn Fein

IN A BITTER attack on Sinn Fein, the Taoiseach yesterday warned it "there is no half way house between democratic politics and violence".

Speaking to journalists during a visit to Brussels, a clearly furious Mr Bruton said, watching the RTE programme Questions and Answers, he had been "deeply disturbed" by the failure of the Sinn Fein vice president, Mr Pat Doherty, to condemn the murder of Det Garda McCabe in Adare. Sinn Fein's ambiguity would have to end, he said.

Mr Bruton, after meeting the Commission President, Mr Jacques Santer, also expressed some confidence that "with goodwill on both sides" a framework for lifting the British beef ban can be agreed before the Florence summit in 10 days.

Responding to questions about the peace process, Mr Bruton said I think it is very important that Sinn Fein makes up its mind whether it is committed to the political process or not.

"I was deeply disturbed by the failure of the vice president of Sinn Fein, Mr Pat Doherty, a man who recently stood for the Dail to condemn the killing of Garda McCabe in Adare when asked about it last night on Questions and Answers.

"His failure to utter the words `I condemn' displays an ambiguity in Sinn Fein's attitude in relation to support for the Garda Siochana which is unacceptable from anyone who stood for the Dail. The Dail exists and its laws are enforced by the Garda Siochana who deserve the support of every right thinking Irish democrat.

"For the vice president of Sinn Fein to find himself unable to condemn this killing is a deeply worrying phenomenon. I believe that a clear and unambiguous statement is called for from Sinn Fein. There can be no neutrality or ambiguity on the part of any Irish democrat in the matter of a killing of a member of the gardai in the course of his duties.

"This is the matter that Sinn Fein must address in a serious way. Sinn Fein must now demonstrate their commitment to peaceful politics immediately by getting an absolute, total cessation of violence by the IRA.

There is no halfway house between democratic politics and violence.

On the beef crisis, Mr Bruton refused to be drawn into criticism of the British obstructionism on beef, but he said there was a "deep gulf of misunderstanding" between Britain and its fellow member states.

He reiterated his contention that any solution must be found on the basis of a scientific approach to the public health issues and not through political gestures.

Mr Bruton said he had discussed the matter at length with Mr Major on Monday and hoped the framework issue would be resolved before the Irish presidency.

But he warned, with a grin, that the crisis was a salutary warning to Ireland that a presidency should be ready for the unexpected.

In talks with Mr Santer, Mr Bruton discussed the Irish presidency priorities and pledged his strong support to the president's confidence pact for jobs. He also promised that Ireland would play a strong part in EU United States import discussions.

Mr Bruton, who had lunch with business figures, later met the Christian Democratic EPP, of which Fine Gael is a member. There he had bilateral discussion with the new Italian Prime Minister, Mr Prodi, and the new Spanish President, Mr Aznar.

Later, addressing the meeting, which was also attended by Germany's Chancellor Kohl and the Belgian Prime Minister, Mr Jean Luc Dehaene, Mr Bruton spoke of the need to bring the EU closer to the citizen and said he believed the two themes of the Irish presidency, the fight against drugs and crime and against unemployment would provide the means to do that.

"If the European Treaty is seen as an instrument for dealing with the drugs problem, with crime, and unemployment, and delivering results, then citizens were more likely to identify with the project, he told journalists. He believed there was a strong onus on politicians to give a lead in bridging the gap between the ordinary citizen and "those in the know".