Newstalk lunchtime today revealed a case where a Sinn Fein Councillor did not inform gardai about abuse allegations against an IRA man in Louth.
In 2002 two men made Pearse McGeough, a lifelong republican, and now Sinn Fein councillor in Co. Louth, aware of allegations of sexual abuse that they allegedly suffered at the hands of an IRA member when they were minors.
The Gardai were not informed at the time, and it’s alleged that the abuser was then subjected to a kangaroo court.
The incident allegedly occurred in County Louth, in an IRA safehouse.
Listen below to the full report from Newstalk Lunchtime on the abuse allegations, and a heated debate between Padraig MacLochliann and Gerald Nash.
Watch the live Dáil debate here
"Pure cynicism and political point scoring" - The Newstalk Lunchtime Debate on abuse cover-up allegations
As the Dáil debates the allegations by Mairia Cahill and others regarding the cover-up of sexual abuse and child abuse by IRA members, Sinn Féin TD for Donegal North East, Padraig MacLochlainn, has told Newstalk Lunchtime the sustained assault on his party is “pure cynicism and political opportunism.”
In an debate that became heated at points, with Labour TD for Louth & East Meath, Gerald Nash, on Newstalk Lunchtime, Mr MacLochlainn defended his party president Gerry Adams, while also claiming that there are “300 cases” awaiting attention from the Taoiseach and Minister for Justice; concerning murder, rape and allegations on cover-up. He said the families seeking attention for these cases, “cannot get a meeting with the Taoiseach, cannot get a comment from the Taoiseach,” which he contrasted with the fact that today the Dáil will spend five hours debating the Mairia Cahill allegations.
Nash rejected the claims of opportunism, saying the debate was warranted as, “There is a serious matter of public interest at stake here and at the end of the day we need to use our national parliament to remind people of their responsibilities as citizens, not just as public representatives.”
“Sinn Féin has information I believe about these very serious issues, about the abuse of children, about alleged cover ups ... Sinn Fein knows which IRA men abused children in the north, they know that people were moved down to the south. We want to know where they are ... (so) that appropriate proper investigations take place,” Mr Nash said.
Mr MacLochlainn said that the focus on this particular case is disproportionate and responded to Mr. Nash’s allegations, saying:
“The cynicism is literally dripping off Ged Nash.
“There are over 300 cases on the desk of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice. Some of those cases are families alleging murder and cover-up, the most serious allegations you can make.
“The fact is there are families in this state who are alleging murder of their loved ones, the cover up (of these murders) ... They cannot get a meeting with the Taoiseach, cannot get a comment from the Taoiseach or the Minister for Justice, cannot get any debate in the houses - yet when there is an opportunity to score political points the public will see very clearly that five hours is set aside today for pure cynicism and political opportunism from the Labour party and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáill,” Mr MacLochlainn said.
Nash pushed back, boiling his argument down to the basic point and levelling an allegation at not just the IRA, but at Sinn Féin as a whole.
“This is about children who were raped. It’s about the cover up of rape of children. Nothing more, nothing less. The issue here is that there was a systematic attempt, it seems to me, by the Sinn Féin organisation and the IRA to cover these type of very egregious issues.”
This remark drew a seemingly reflexive, and furious, reaction from MacLochliann.
“That is an absolute slur and an untruth,” he said of Nash’s allegation. “You’re a disgrace for making that type of comment ... I’m deeply disappointed to hear those comments coming from you.”
Discussing the actions of Gerry Adams, in not disclosing what he knew of his brother’s history of child sex abuse while Liam Adams worked in Lout, Jonathan Healy asked Mr MacLochlainn if he had sat down with his party president to discuss the allegations, and if he was satisfied with the response. MacLochlainn said he has discussed the matter with Adams, and is “satisfied with Gerry Adams’ answers.”
“I have discussed these matters with GA and I can tell you that I do not believe the slur that has been put against Sinn Féin, this allegation of cover-up.
MacLochlainn closed the debate by arguing that “people out there see this for what it is, it is sheer cynicism and political opportunism.
“The members of Sinn Féin are as decent as the members of the Lab Party, Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil. Is anyone seriously suggesting that I or any other SF public representative would be involved in some organisational cover up of child abuse. It is an appalling slur on our character, on the representation that we give our communities, and it needs to stop.”
