AHERN WELCOMES O CAOLAIN'S DAIL STATEMENT

[mrgorth]

AHERN WELCOMES O CAOLAIN'S DAIL STATEMENT
02/23/05 10:11 EST

The Irish premier, Bertie Ahern, has welcomed Sinn Féin's
vow to banish criminality from its party but Mr Ahern urged
them to match their words with deeds.


Mr Ahern told the Dáil (Irish parliament): "We're listening
very closely to what Sinn Fein is saying. Those words
cannot simply be accepted at face value. We want no
ambiguity, no fudge, no messing."


Sinn Féin's leader in the Dáil, Mr Caoimhghin O Caolain
yesterday made a clear statement saying the party would
banish rogue members from its ranks and reaffirmed a
commitment to disbanding the IRA and implementing the
Belfast Agreement.


Speaking at Leaders' Questions in Leinster House on Tuesday,
Mr. O Caoláin said his party has a "clear and unambiguous
commitment to democratic politics and the pursuit of our
goals by legal and peaceful means".


He said efforts were being made "to spread guilt by
innuendo, guilt by association and guilt because of the
political views of people and not because of anything they
have done".


Ó Caoláin said: "Will the Tánaiste acknowledge that I say
here without equivocation that Sinn Féin is a party that
rejects criminality of any kind and that no republican
worthy of the name can be involved in criminality? Will she
note that I go further and state that if there are within
this party people who are involved in criminal acts then
they should leave our ranks immediately."


"Will she note that I say there is no room in Sinn Féin for
other than a clear and unambiguous commitment to democratic
politics and the pursuit of our goals by legal and peaceful
means."


"Will the Tánaiste acknowledge that the members, elected
representatives and supporters of this party are entitled to
the same respect due to all citizens, to the presumption of
innocence and not to be damned and demonised?"


"Does the Tánaiste recognise that in a climate such as this
there are being made to spread guilt by innuendo, guilt by
association and guilt because of the political views of
people and not because of anything they have done?"


"Will the Tánaiste note that while it would be easy at this
time to devote all our energies to the war of words, to
remain on the defensive and to be distracted from our
purpose and pursuits that I have chosen instead to spell out
very clearly our responsibilities to address any and every
matter that requires our address. "


"Will the Tánaiste and the House note that if republicans
have issues to address we will address them. If there are
republicans involved in any activity that in any way
besmirches the name of Irish republicanism they should cease
those activities immediately. Any and all activities that
fall outside the norms of legitimate political action should
cease forthwith."


"Will the Tánaiste and this House accept that we in Sinn
Féin are as determined as ever to take whatever hard
decisions must be taken to move the Peace Process forward?"


"Will the Tánaiste note our determination to continue to
play the role we have played in helping to create this
process, in helping to bring about the cessations, in
helping to bring about the Good Friday Agreement and all
that has flowed from it and that it is our intent to
actively pursue and achieve the full and I repeat, full
implementation of the Good Friday Agreement with all that
that entails."


"Will the Tánaiste note and acknowledge our determination to
see all guns taken out of Irish politics and to be part of
the collective effort that will create the conditions where
the IRA ceases to exist?"


"Will the Tánaiste accept that republicans have taken many
difficult decisions in this peace process in the past and
that the Sinn Féin leadership has moulded a political
strategy that has brought the vast majority of republicans
away from physical force, and that that process is not ended
and will continue to a successful conclusion?" asked Mr Ó
Caoláin.



Speaking later on RTE's Primetime last night, Mr Ó Caoláin
reiterated an the Dáil statement that activists engaged in
criminal activities outside the legitimate political norm
"should leave the party today".


He said of his Dáil statement: "I certainly intended it to
be as clear and as unambiguous as I could possible deliver.
It is addressing many audiences but I hope that not only all
of the elected opinion represented in Leinster House, but
indeed republican opinion the length and breadth of the
island will take note of what I have said. I've made it
clear today. I've made it clear and clearer I believe than
I've ever done before that we're working towards an end to
the Irish Republican Army."


"All of the years of hard work leading up to the Good Friday
Agreement and since has created great frustration for the
Sinn Fein leadership, as much and perhaps more than any
other opinion on this island and we want to see a conclusion
to all of this reached and reached speedily."

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[two gun sid]

1. Great statement by Caoimhghin O Caolain.

Glad to see SF coming out swinging. Dublin, London and Belfast need to get on with the peace process.