“Statement needed from Gerry Adams on Sinn Féin claims re Garda Donohoe”

And five days after that extraordinary press briefing, Niall Collins of Fianna Fail says Gerry Adams needs to answer questions about what he knows of the murderers of Garda Aidan Donohoe. This literally just into Slugger’s inbox:

“This media briefing is a serious development. A senior official working at the heart of the Sinn Féin political operation claims that he knows for a fact the identity of Detective Donohoe’s killers. In addition, he claims that the same individuals were behind the murder of Paul Quinn.

“Inexplicably, since publication of the report, the Sinn Féin leadership has been entirely silent on the matter. Given the widespread national revulsion at the killing of Detective Donohoe and indeed his own comments at the time, it is important that Deputy Adams come forward and confirm that he has spoken to his colleague, that this individual has given statements to the Gardaí and PSNI investigators, and confirm when these statements were made. I fully expected such a statement following publication of the story, but none came.

“In the course of his briefing, the Sinn Féin official also sought to undermine the integrity of Paul Quinn’s family’s search for justice, claiming that the Garda Donohoe’s murderers were members of their campaign and indeed that their slain 21 year old son was an ‘associate’ of the killers; this is despite the fact that Mr Quinn was killed six years before the County Louth ambush. Mr Quinn’s family have properly dismissed the slur, claiming that it is just the latest chapter in a malicious whispering campaign by Sinn Féin that they have had to endure for years.

“Deputy Adams should also make it clear whether he stands by these remarks and if not, issue an immediate apology to Mr Quinn’s family on behalf of his party.”

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty