Fine Gael not trusted on National Question and the north

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP this afternoon led a leadership Sinn Féin delegation in a meeting with a visiting delegation from Fine Gael led by Party Leader Enda Kenny TD.

The Sinn Féin delegation included deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP MLA; Michelle Gildernew MP MLA and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Caoimhghin O Caoláin TD and party leader in the Dáil; Michelle O Neill MLA and Carál Ní Chuilín MLA.

Speaking to the media Mr. Adams described the meeting as “frank but good”.

Mr. Adams rejected Enda Kenny’s position in respect of Sinn Féin:

“It is deeply offensive to those who elect me and other Sinn Féin representatives that a senior politician in Leinster House doesn’t uphold the democratic rights of those who vote republican across this island and their right to chose whoever they want to represent them.

This has nothing to do with the IRA. The IRA has long since left the stage. So quite frankly, and I told Enda this, most democrats, nationalists and republicans don’t trust Fine Gael on the national question or on the north.

We are pleased to have Fine Gael here. They’re not here often enough otherwise they wouldn’t make such silly statements.

For the Fine Gael leader to say such silly things on a visit to Parliament Buildings and at a meeting in which the only government Ministers present are Sinn Féin Ministers, only feeds into those on the unionist and on the fringes of the nationalist side who are opposed to the peace process.

We had a useful discussion covering many issues and I welcome the fact that on some of these we found agreement, for example, two years ago the Dáil passed an all-party motion supporting a full investigation Dublin Monaghan bombs and asking the Taoiseach to raise this issue with the British government.

To this day the Taoiseach has not raised that issue with the British PM.”

Sinn Féin TD Caoimhin O Caloain speaking to the media on this issue said:

“I raised with the Fine Gael delegation the fact that the Justice for All group which is the only victims group in the 26 counties arising out of the conflict, will see its funding end shortly. I asked for Fine Gael support in pressing for this to continue and I was pleased with the response I received from the Fine Gael leader.