Oireachtas

IRA actions `must be faced up to if peace process is to be genuine'

THE IRA arms dump in Clonaslee, Co Laois, contained a new type of bomb which gardai believed were intended for early use, the…

By DERMOT KELLY and MICHAEL O'REGAN
Wed Jun 26 1996 - 01:00

THE IRA arms dump in Clonaslee, Co Laois, contained a new type of bomb which gardai believed were intended for early use, the Taoiseach announced.

"Quite apart from the feelings of the recent victims, it is just not possible, if the peace process itself is to be genuine and strong, to go on acting as if Jerry McCabe was never murdered, to go on acting as if the Manchester bomb was never planted, or to go on acting as if arms, bombs and mortars were not being assembled in this State during the all party negotiations," said Mr Bruton.

He added that those events, and the questions that flowed from them, had to be faced, and faced publicly, "if the Irish peace process is to be robust, durable and honest".

They had changed the objective circumstances and context of, the Government's previous relations with Sinn Fein. "There is a connection between the IRA and Sinn Fein. No one denies that, and the IRA's involvement in three recent terrible events changes things, said Mr Bruton. "It is these events themselves, not the Government or the media, that are forcing Sinn Fein to face fundamental and difficult questions, to face the questions the Government has put to them."

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Asked by the PD leader, Ms Mary Harney, if he still believed there were no grounds for confidence that Sinn Fein was committed to democratic politics exclusively by peaceful means Mr Bruton said the only grounds were to be found in the statement made by Mr Gerry Adams on May 20th. On that occasion Mr Adams had said Sinn Fein was willing, if others did so, to make its commitment to the Mitchell principles absolute.

"Certainly `anything' that" has been said since does not add anything to any confidence that might have existed in the past. Certainly the actions of the IRA, with which Sinn Fein continues to maintain an organic link, does not add to the confidence that is there," the Taoiseach added.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, asked if the Government, in asking Sinn Fein specifically to condemn recent actions of the IRA, was now effectively demanding a split in the republican movement. Did the Taoiseaeh consider this to be helpful to peace?

Would the Taoiseach not consider that Sinn Fein should persuade the IRA to bring the whole movement with them rather than leave a section behind which would continue to engage in violence?

Mr Bruton said the killing by the IRA of Det Garda Jerry McCabe was the first murder by the organisation of a member of the Garda in 12 years. "I hope Deputy Ahern is not questioning me for having asked Sinn Fein, including a Sinn Fein candidate for the Dail, to condemn what happened in Limerick."

He added that it was the only occasion on which he had challenged Sinn Fein on its failure to condemn something.

Mr Bruton said it was not in the interests of anybody that there should be a split in the republican movement. "What we need is for the entire republican movement, in all its manifestations, to accept the Mitchell principles in full. If they are to accept the Mitehell principles in full, then they must be able to answer Yes to the two questions put to them by the Government.

Mr Ahern said he presumed Taoiseach had listened to what had to say. "I am not going to take issue with you trying to turn around lines, Taoiseach."

Mr Ahern asked Mr Bruton if he was happy with the position that the House could be in danger, of losing any influence with the republican movement by trying to "force" Mr Adams in particular into a position of condemning those he was trying to convince to move forward.

Mr Bruton repeated that the only event which he had asked Sinn Fein to condemn specifically was the murder of Det Garda McCabe.

Earlier, Mr Ahern said that, like the Government, Fianna Fail was also dismayed by the IRA shooting of a garda, the bombing in Manchester, the "bomb factory find" in Laois, and the failure of the republican movement to bring about the conditions to allow Sinn Fein take part in the multi party talks.

But the party still strongly favoured the door being kept open as long as there was a glimmer of hope, and conditions should not be set higher than before to allow Sinn Fein participate in talks if there was an IRA ceasefire, Mr Ahern added.