Fury at TD’s stance on McCabe killing
THE chair of the Dáil’s Petitions Committee is set to face a no confidence motion after his alleged refusal to apologise over the IRA shooting of Garda Jerry McCabe.
Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne, who also protested against the Queen’s visit, was asked by the committee to follow the example of Mary Lou McDonald and condemn the killers. Despite a series of requests from Fine Gael TDs, the committee chairman repeatedly refused to condemn the killers.
The spat has increased tensions within the already divided committee, which was rocked last December after social media posts made during Mr Browne’s time as a county councillor received national attention.
These included the sharing of a conspiracy theory that the 9/11 attacks had been staged using holograms, as well as sharing a post in which Cuban leader Fidel Castro compared Nato to the SS.
Mr Browne subsequently apologised, saying the posts did not reflect his views.
Responding to the latest refusal, Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin and Senator Jerry Buttimer said the position taken by Mr Browne on the 1996 IRA gun attack shows contempt for the State and the members of An Garda Síochána who protect it every day.
Mr Griffin said: ‘It’s a mark of the utmost disrespect to Det McCabe’s life and duty, as well as his family, not to utterly and unequivocally condemn this savage killing.’
Noting that an unprecedented motion of no confidence is in the offing, one political source said: ‘It is heading there at speed. The current scenario is not sustainable.’