THE former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, has moved to qualify remarks attributed to him concerning Mr Gerry Adams's intention to seek a restoration of the IRA ceasefire.
Following a meeting with Mr Adams on Saturday, Mr Reynolds was, quoted in an article in yesterday's Sunday Independent as stat ing the Sinn Fein president was to ask the IRA army council to restore the ceasefire. RTE's This Week programme reported that Mr Reynolds had confirmed these remarks at lunch time.
Mr Reynolds said last night, however, that Mr Adams had not informed him of this plan at their meeting. He also stated he would never disclose the contents of a private meeting.
"The article in the Sunday Independent was, as requested my views on where things are going, not those told to me by Gerry Adams which I would never disclose anyway," he said.
It is understood the Sinn Fein leadership was very annoyed by Mr Reynolds's reported remarks yesterday.
The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, spoke to Mr Adams again over the weekend. He formed the view, afterwards, that the Sinn Fein leadership was doing all it could to make sure it played its part in the peace process, a spokesman said.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/786007c0-4880-4284-94d6-7a39ab274547.png)