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Ms de Brun: Trimble
distracting attention |
A bitter row erupted today after Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble claimed Sinn Féin ministers were "in government by day and engaged in other activities by night".
Sinn Féin Health Minister Ms Bairbre de Brun called on the former Northern Ireland First Minister to withdraw the comment which he made after the release yesterday of the Irish and British governments' proposals to keep the Belfast Agreement afloat.
In his initial response to the take-it-or-leave-it document, Mr Trimble warned Dublin and London the IRA must dispose of its arms if the Agreement and the institutions were to survive.
"The crisis will only be resolved by republicans fulfilling obligations," he said."In the absence of decommissioning there will be no progress and consequently no Ulster Unionist will be able to offer himself for election as First Minister.
"There can't be a moral vacuum at the heart of this. We are not legitimising terrorism. It's not all right to be in government by day and out engaged in other activities by night".
But West Belfast MLA Ms de Brunaccused him of trying to "distract attention from his failure to use his influence to arrest the nightly loyalist onslaught on the nationalist community and his responsibility for feeding the political instability within which attacks thrive.
"Rather than continue to attempt to demonise, marginalise or justify the exclusion of Sinn Féin ministers from office, Mr Trimble would be better served in paying more attention to the undertakings he gave in signing up to the Good Friday Agreement - to work towards the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust," she said.
"Mr Trimble should withdraw his disgraceful comments".
The row erupted as the Northern Ireland parties considered their response to the two governments' package of proposals on policing, decommissioning, demilitarisation, the operation of the political institutions, inquiries into controversial killings and Orange parades.
PA