Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin is hitting out at Sinn Féin in his address to the annual Fianna Fáil Easter Rising Commemoration at Arbour Hill this afternoon.

In his speech, Martin accuses Sinn Fáin of aggressively promoting a false claim that they have some connection to 1916 and the volunteers involved, calling it "deeply sinister."

He says it is part of a wider agenda of trying to falsify recent Irish history and claim legitimacy for the sectarian campaign of murder and intimidation which they carried out for 30 years.

Martin said,"1916 belongs to no party or movement. It belongs to the Irish people alone."

He also criticises the failure to deal with child abuse by the provisional movement.

And he says there must be a redoubling of efforts to fulfill the promise of lasting peace and reconciliation on this island.