Irish Government action on collusion 'simply not good enough'

MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan came under pressure from Sinn Féin and other opposition TDs in the Dáil on Wednesday demanding that his Government do more to force the British Government into coming clean on their role in the murders of hundreds of Irish citizens.

The exchange came after the screening of the RTÉ documentary Collusion on Monday night which highlighted the extensive and systemic cooperation between the British military, RUC and unionist murder gangs in the killing of hundreds of Irish citizens since the 1970s. These attacks included the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings which killed 33 civilians.

Referring to the murder of Sinn Féin Councillor Eddie Fullerton (pictured) in his Buncrana home in 1991 by a unionist murder gang in collusion with the British state forces, Sinn Fén Justice Spokesperson Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD said he "could think of no other jurisdiction where the assassination of a much-loved elected representative by agents of another state would be met with complete disinterest and apathy for so many years."

Gerry Adams said while the documentary contained little new information it was still a shocking insight into the conflict in the North:

"It took thirty years for RTÉ to make this programme and for many citizens here in the south it was the first opportunity to see the reality of Britain's dirty war in Ireland. The policy of state-sponsored collusion between British state forces and unionist death squads was part and parcel of British policy in Ireland."

Responding to comments, Minister Charlie Flanagan accepted that "elements of the British security forces colluded in such callous crimes" adding that the "extent and scale of  collusion is not acceptable" and said the Irish Government would continue to raise these issues with British Government and Secretary of State Theresa Villiers.

Responding to the Minister, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said:

"It's not good enough simply to raise these issues with the British Government.

"Just imagine if it emerged that Government in England had authorised the killing of a human rights lawyer in Scotland or the killing of councillors and other politicians in Scotland. Or the killing of hundreds of civilians in Scotland. Just imagined if that had happened. That is what has happened here [in Ireland]. It is now a matter of public record."

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, who told An Phoblahct the Minister's response had been "underwhelming" said the British Government has never acknowledged the full extent of its role in the conflict:

"They have been dragged kicking and screaming – sometimes after decades of investigations –  into acknowledging some incidents for which they were responsible."

Addressing the Minister he said:

"It is long past the time that you had a frank and open conversation with the British Government to acknowledge the full extent of their role – that was controlling and  arming loyalist paramilitaries throughout the conflict in the targeted murders of innocent civilians, human rights lawyers, GAA officials and Sinn Féin elected representatives and members. They have never accepted their responsibility and you have never insisted they do."

Gerry Adams said the Government has a responsibility to act on these matters and behave as a co-equal guarantor on the Good Friday Agreement. He also called for the Minister to facilitate a debate on collusion before the summer recess and for him to meet with support groups for victims of collusion.