‘Apologists for the IRA’: Martin attacks SF over Harris response

SINN Féin continue to be ‘apologists’ for the IRA, while the party is controlled by unelected individuals in Belfast who dictate party policy, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has claimed.

In an stinging attack on the party’s new president, Mary Lou McDonald, and on the party’s northern leader, Michelle O’Neill, Mr Martin also reiterated he will not share in any coalition government with Sinn Féin.

‘The control mechanisms within Sinn Féin are worrying, in that unelected people have undue control over the shape of party policy, and that would happen if Sinn Féin were in government as well,’ Mr Martin claimed while speaking to reporters on a visit to Limerick.

Highlighting the Sinn Féin reaction to the recent appointment of former deputy chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Drew Harris, to the role of Garda Commissioner leading the force in the south, Mr Martin said: ‘It was quite interesting to see the Sinn Féin response. Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central TD) was quite reasonable and moderate [on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland], in his response to questions about that appointment, and, by 12 o’clock, Mary Lou (McDonald) had gone full circle and was in attack mode on Drew Harris…’ Ms McDonald had said that the incoming Garda Commissioner has to ‘demonstrate he in no way subscribes to the toxic, vindictive policing culture which necessitated the disbanding of the RUC’. Mr Martin said yesterday: ‘I often ask myself the question – did Mary Lou get a few phone calls from people in Belfast...

‘There is that centralised control in the party, which has manifested itself in many councillors resigning across the country.’ Mr Martin added: ‘We want to go into government, that’s where we’re heading... but not with Sinn Féin. The current leadership of Sinn Féin are apologists for the (IRA’s) murder and mayhem over the last 30 years.’ Sinn Féin had not responded to a request for comment by late last night.