23 April 1998 Edition

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Gardai pressurise Minister on prison releases

BY SEAN BRADY

The 26 County Minister for Justice, John O'Donoghue, claimed in Leinster House on Tuesday that those facing charges arising out of the shooting dead of Special Branch Detective Jerry McCabe in Adare, County Limerick would not come under the ambit of release programmes following the Good Friday agreement at Stormont.

O'Donoghue's remarks follow a spate of newspaper articles and hysterical public commentary from Garda sources in relation to the possible release of those facing charges over the McCabe killing.

Since it became clear that prison releases would form a fundamental part of any peace agreement certain journalists in the 26 Counties have homed in on the case of those facing charges over the death of Garda McCabe. This reached hysterical proportions following a newspaper interview with Sinn Féin negotiator Martin Ferris in which he said that all political prisoners had to be released as part of a peace agreement.

In a thinly veiled criticism of the Minister's remarks Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn said that a situation where prisoners were convicted for offences in the Six Counties were released while those jailed for offences in the 26 Counties were detained could not be tolerated. ``A consistency of approach, north and south of the border, is an absolute necessity here if we are to avoid the development of tensions which could undermine the agreement'', he said.

Commenting on O'Donoghue's statement Sinn Féin Vice President Pat Doherty said: ``This week we have seen renewed Garda pressure to selectively influence the political question of the released of political prisoners in this state.

``The Good Friday document is presented as a way forward out of conflict and the causes and consequences of conflict are therefore addressed in it. One of the consequences of conflict that must be dealt with is, clearly, the issue of political prisoners.

``Republicans are conscious of and sensitive to the hurt of those who have lost family members and friends.

``If we are serious about the business of conflict resolution and of leaving the bitter legacy of the past behind, then there must be a consistent attitude by those in authority to the question of all prisoners who are jailed as a result of the conflict. There cannot be any selectivity in this matter.

``In relation to the specific case highlighted by the Minister, we should all be aware that nobody has been convicted in relation to the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe. However there are people currently awaiting trial on serious charges whose case has been prejudiced by comments made in recent days.

``All those imprisoned as a result of the conflict in Ireland must be released in line with a peace agreement.''

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