“What a sad spectacle Gerry Adams has become..”

Not full-blown yet.. But it’s getting personal.. DUP leader Peter Robinson responds to Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams’ comments – noted by George earlier.

Mr Robinson rejected claims of bigotry in his party and said the Sinn Féin leader’s comments should be treated with “pity rather than scorn”.

“What a sad spectacle Gerry Adams has become,” said Mr Robinson. “He has resorted to making outlandish and absurd claims in order to grab some media attention and seek support for his party’s present absurd position. “The central accusation made by Mr Adams is wrong. The DUP is committed to working the Assembly for the maximum benefit of all of the people of Northern Ireland.”

And the same iol report carries the counter-response.

Tonight a Sinn Féin source hit back at Mr Robinson’s comments: “Many people in the wider community are questioning Peter Robinson’s tenure as First Minister. “There has been one Executive meeting during his four months in office. What Peter Robinson needs to do is focus on delivering on the obligations his party entered into in the St Andrews Agreement.”

It looks like some still need reminding of how far that argument falls short of reality.. Adds More quotes hereAlso from the iol report

In an attack on Mr Adams’s role as MP for West Belfast, Mr Robinson added: “West Belfast has some of the most deprived communities in Northern Ireland – both Protestant and Roman Catholic – and what is their MP doing about it? Banging on about his party-political objectives.”

Mr Robinson said: “People will rightly judge this as yet another sad outburst from a man who is frustrated that he is no longer able to control events in the way he once did.”

Still, “This isn’t something we are going to fall out about.” Is it?

More from the Newsletter report

Sinn Fein was putting the “ideological approach” before the “logical one”, the First Minister claimed.

“Gerry Adams comments are to be treated more in pity than in scorn,” he added.

“They betray a fundamentally sectarian mindset – not only does he fail to comprehend that unionism is not a religion but that it is also possible to be a Roman Catholic and a unionist at the same time.

“If Gerry Adams thinks that by resorting to such behaviour he will rally his grassroot supporters who are disillusioned at the distance Sinn Fein has had to travel it is a sad commentary on republicanism.”

Pete Baker