10 September 1998 Edition
Dúirt siad...
[Clinton] was directly responsible for a naked act in international terrorism and cannot presume to lecture Irish peope on the subject of peace. It is a revealing insight into the operation of American foreign policy that Mr Clinton's abuse of power was cynically calculated to deflect American eyes from the controversy surrounding his sexual dalliances with Monica Lewinski. Such a narrow, selfish and violent approach smacks of dictatorship and deserves to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
The Examiner's editorial on the occasion of Bill Clinton's visit to Ireland last week.
The provisions which parliament will be asked to rubber stamp on Thursday sound like a terrifying mix of Orwell and Kafka; it will apparently require little more that the say-so of a senior police officer for someone to receive a conviction for terrorism. This is a step of mind-boggling significance. I cannot think off-hand of any democratic society in which an individual policeman's word counts for much in securing a conviction for a major felony. This sort of power in the hands of the police is something that we normally associate with totalitarian countries. The scope for victimisation and abuse, not to say unintended miscarriages of justice is enormous.
Janet Daly writing in the Daily Telegraph, prior to the new repressive legislation being rushed through Westminster.
It couldn't have come at a worse time. It is my son's anniversary on Friday and it is a hard enough time for us. I am disgusted that they are getting back into the British Army... The British government don't think these two did anything wrong.
Interview with Jean McBride after her son's murderers were released and allowed to re-join the British Army.
Is there any chance of decommissioning John Bruton? His relentless determination to mark out the traditional hardline Fine Gael position against republicans - so as to give his party some sort of identity - during the discussions over the new anti-''real'' IRA legislation, reminded me of a dog marking off its territory via lamp post and tree mark. The difference is that dogs generally cock their legs in order to establish their presence. Bruton's words did not proceed from the canine marking mechanism area. They only sounded as if they did.
Tim Pat Coogan. Ireland On Sunday, 6 September.
On 31 October 1997 there were 138,727 legally held firearms in circulation. This arsenal, most of it in unionist hands, vastly outnumbers that of the Provisionals. We can argue about the calibre of weapons involved, but there is no doubt that in the Six Counties, the law looks more favourably on the possession of weapons by Protestants and unionists, than by Catholics and nationalists.
Tim Pat Coogan on decommissioning.
These disgraceful events once more demonstrate the unwillingness of the RUC to deal effectively with those engaged in this campaign of agressive sectarian intimidation.
Garvaghy Councillor Breandán Mac Cionnaith on the attacks on Catholics and their property at the weekend.
To say, as some have, there can be no executive, no institutions, no structures unless we deliver decommissioning - that's not in the Agreement. Nor is it something which Sinn Féin can deliver.
Gerry Adams on decommissioning. Sunday 6 September.
Portadown has never been a beacon for tolerance and understanding... There is considerable concern on the nationalist side at the refusal of public figures to condemn without equivication the action of loyalist protestors, and to join forces with their nationalist counterparts in a campaign to eradicate sectarianism from that society.
Editorial in the Irish News. Monday 7 September.
The Examiner's editorial on the occasion of Bill Clinton's visit to Ireland last week.
The provisions which parliament will be asked to rubber stamp on Thursday sound like a terrifying mix of Orwell and Kafka; it will apparently require little more that the say-so of a senior police officer for someone to receive a conviction for terrorism. This is a step of mind-boggling significance. I cannot think off-hand of any democratic society in which an individual policeman's word counts for much in securing a conviction for a major felony. This sort of power in the hands of the police is something that we normally associate with totalitarian countries. The scope for victimisation and abuse, not to say unintended miscarriages of justice is enormous.
Janet Daly writing in the Daily Telegraph, prior to the new repressive legislation being rushed through Westminster.
It couldn't have come at a worse time. It is my son's anniversary on Friday and it is a hard enough time for us. I am disgusted that they are getting back into the British Army... The British government don't think these two did anything wrong.
Interview with Jean McBride after her son's murderers were released and allowed to re-join the British Army.
Is there any chance of decommissioning John Bruton? His relentless determination to mark out the traditional hardline Fine Gael position against republicans - so as to give his party some sort of identity - during the discussions over the new anti-''real'' IRA legislation, reminded me of a dog marking off its territory via lamp post and tree mark. The difference is that dogs generally cock their legs in order to establish their presence. Bruton's words did not proceed from the canine marking mechanism area. They only sounded as if they did.
Tim Pat Coogan. Ireland On Sunday, 6 September.
On 31 October 1997 there were 138,727 legally held firearms in circulation. This arsenal, most of it in unionist hands, vastly outnumbers that of the Provisionals. We can argue about the calibre of weapons involved, but there is no doubt that in the Six Counties, the law looks more favourably on the possession of weapons by Protestants and unionists, than by Catholics and nationalists.
Tim Pat Coogan on decommissioning.
These disgraceful events once more demonstrate the unwillingness of the RUC to deal effectively with those engaged in this campaign of agressive sectarian intimidation.
Garvaghy Councillor Breandán Mac Cionnaith on the attacks on Catholics and their property at the weekend.
To say, as some have, there can be no executive, no institutions, no structures unless we deliver decommissioning - that's not in the Agreement. Nor is it something which Sinn Féin can deliver.
Gerry Adams on decommissioning. Sunday 6 September.
Portadown has never been a beacon for tolerance and understanding... There is considerable concern on the nationalist side at the refusal of public figures to condemn without equivication the action of loyalist protestors, and to join forces with their nationalist counterparts in a campaign to eradicate sectarianism from that society.
Editorial in the Irish News. Monday 7 September.