A junior minister says the Stack murder allegations are some of the most serious to have ever been made against politicians in the State.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, the Minister of State for European affairs, Dara Murphy joined the list of those criticising Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams.
Mr Murphy said Deputy Adams’ refusal to publically name the senior IRA member implicated in the murder of prison officer Brian Stack is “dangerous” and “sinister.”
He said Sinn Féin assertions that the issue has been raised by rival parties as a political point scoring exercise are “laughable.”
“They are trying to distract and deflect from the reality that these are some of the most serious allegations that have ever been made against democratically elected politicians in this state,” he said.
“Sinn Féin has continuously tried to seek to unilaterally, themselves determine how the law should be interpreted."
In a statement yesterday evening, Deputy Adams said the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin were using the issue to, “exploit victims in the name of scurrilous political point scoring.”
He called on the Taoiseach to establish a “proper truth recovery process” insisting, “that is the only viable way for families to achieve justice.”
Mr Murphy called the comments “complete nonsense” and called on rank and file members of the Sinn Féin organisation take on a role in “holding their leadership to account.”
“We have seen this with Mr Adams over many decades, where he has always felt that the law doesn’t apply to him; has never applied to the IRA; that they have some greater moral authority over the people of Ireland than anybody else has."
Mr Adams says he has provided the name of the senior IRA figure in question to the Garda Commissioner, but Mr Murphy does not think that is enough.
He said it is now incumbent on, “democratic parties in this country who disagree on certain issues - and have made mistakes in the past - to stand up against a party like Sinn Féin and call them to account.”
