Adams slams ‘untruthful’ briefing over SF/DUP talks
GERRY Adams has accused the Taoiseach of “behaving in a reckless way” after reports that Sinn Fein’s Stormont leader had been overruled on a deal with the DUP by other senior republicans.
Both British and Irish government sources concurred with an Irish Times report suggesting Michelle O’Neill was reined in as she attempted a compromise deal with DUP leader Arlene Foster to restore power-sharing.
Mr Adams described the briefings by Irish government sources as “untruthful”.
“There was malicious, shameful, untruthful briefing of the media about the state of the talks last week and particularly shameful and untruthful allegations made by government sources about our leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill,” he said.
However, Mrs Foster appeared to confirm the briefings in a speech earlier this week when she said Sinn Fein was “playing games” in the talks, with proposals put “forward one day and withdrawn the next”.
Meanwhile, Mr Adams has been the butt of jokes after he slipped up in a Dail debate. While debating the impact of pension anomalies Mr Adams noted that in many cases the problem cost pensioners up to €30 a week.
“€30 is a bottle of wine …,” he said, before the Dail erupted into jeers. Deputies later joked about the newest addition to the members’ restaurant: ‘Gerry’s wine list’. For just €30, one can pick up a bottle of the finest ShIRAz, ‘chateau de kneepcap’ or, as coined by Fine Gael’s Noel Rock, ‘provo-secco’.
It was also pointed out that Mr Adams is well used to lavish dinners in cities such as New York, where wealthy donors pay $500 each to hear about Sinn Fein’s dream of one day bringing about a United Ireland.