Witness consulted Adams before giving

A KEY witness in the Adrian Donohoe murder trial consulted with former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams before providing information to the Garda, it has emerged.

Sinn Fein TD for Meath East Darren O’rourke has confirmed it was his “understanding” that Mr Adams was the TD who reassured the witness before he gave information to gardai about south Armagh man Aaron Brady, who was convicted last week.

Speaking outside Leinster House, Mr O’rourke said of the potential Garda witness: “I don’t know that person, and again I don’t know the decision-making process in terms of their own thinking and why they felt they needed to do that. The party has been very clear that in so many cases and so many incidents, that people should come and make statements and bring information they have to the guards and PSNI.

“In fairness I don’t think the party presumed they needed to, you don’t need to come to Sinn

Fein first before you do that, it’s clearly not the case.”

Mr O’rourke’s comments came after the Irish Times reported former Detective Pat Marry saying that he had to approach a Sinn Fein TD when he was having difficulties getting a statement from a witness.

“He wasn’t sure about making a statement at all. I talked him around that it was the right thing to do,” Mr Marry said.

“He said he was a Sinn Fein member and that he had to get sanction.”

Mr Marry said the TD said he told the witness to talk to gardai if he wished.

Asked if the TD consulted was Gerry Adams, Mr O’rourke said: “It’s my understanding that it was.”

But

it was not a question of needing permission, he said. “I can say, as somebody who’s been a member of this party for over 20 years, who came into this without a strong republican background or tradition, I have never experienced that.

“In fairness to the party leadership, they have always been positive and encouraging in terms of our important role in terms of citizens’ first and foremost role, and also in terms of our directives.

“I don’t know what the reason or rationale of thinking was on behalf of that person.

“And maybe it was just in relation to being overly cautious or second guessing themselves.”

He added: “Practically, it worked out to play a positive role.

“But the party has been very clear in relation to it and I can restate it here today that in future if people are second guessing themselves in relation to it, when we say ‘come forward’, it means come forward, and that’s the sum total.”

A Sinn Fein statement said: “Sinn Fein’s response to the murder of Garda Donohoe has been consistent.

“In the aftermath of Garda Donohoe’s murder Sinn Fein TD Gerry Adams called for anyone with information to bring it forward to An Garda Siochana.

“Indeed, Gerry Adams met regularly with An Garda Siochana to discuss issues of criminality within the constituency.

“He consistently called on anyone with information in relation to criminality to bring that forward to An Garda Siochana.”