Taoiseach presses Gerry Adams over abuse claims

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has called on Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams to answer questions regarding reports that six people accused of sexual abuse had been expelled from Northern Ireland by the IRA.

Speaking in Brussels yesterday, Mr Kenny said he was “very concerned” about reports the IRA had sent suspected abusers to the Republic.

“One of the central questions that arose when I had the opportunity to meet with Maíria Cahill [the Belfast woman allegedly raped by IRA man Martin Morris] following her request to me, was that Sinn Féin should answer the questions about the movement of paedophiles and those who were involved in sexual abuse of people from Northern Ireland to the 26 counties.”

‘Concern and fear’

He said the issue was one “of concern and fear” for people.

“The questions remain to be answered: Were there people moved from Northern Ireland who were involved in sexual abuse? Do Sinn Féin know where those peoples are? Do they know the activities that they’re up to? Can they give a cast-iron guarantee this did not happen, and that if it did happen, these people will be reported to the authorities?”

Asked if Mr Adams should resign as leader of Sinn Féin, Mr Kenny replied: “I made the point in the Dáil that if this happened, in my case, as leader of my party, I wouldn’t last five minutes.”

Meanwhile, last night, a solicitor representing the four people alleged to have been involved in a “kangaroo court” into Ms Cahill’s allegations of rape, issued a letter to the Taoiseach, reiterating that their clients were “found not guilty of these offences”.

‘Trial by media’

On Wednesday, the day Mr Kenny met Ms Cahill in Dublin and was later involved in bitter exchanges with Mr Adams in the Dáil, Peter Madden – of solicitors Madden and Finucane – issued a statement on behalf of Padraic Wilson, Séamus Finucane, Briege Wright and Maura McCrory, complaining of “trial by media”.

Another statement last night accused the Taoiseach of “setting aside the judicial process” and “ignoring the findings of a court of law”.

The Taoiseach said earlier this week that he would meet the four people named by Ms Cahill and “won’t stand in judgment of them”.

Yesterday’s statement, however, claimed the Taoiseach “has already passed judgment on them”. It concluded: “I am seriously concerned that in the course of the parliamentary debates some will seek to hide behind ‘parliamentary privilege’ and conduct their own ‘kangaroo court’.”