Parties – Page 89 – Slugger O'Toole

“a request for a PECS check involves checks against criminal records…”

Pete Baker on December 23, 2009, 7:49 pm

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Claims that the police and/or social services face “serious questions” over the employment of Liam Adams as a youth worker in Dundalk and west Belfast after receiving “RUC or PSNI clearance to work in those facilities” are at best mis-informed. Leaving aside an Irish News report quoting a “police source” denying Liam Adams was ever vetted by them, Clonard Youth Centre – where Liam Adams worked between 1998 and 2003 – have been pointing to a Pre Employment Consultancy Service …

“When will Sinn Fein apply these fine principles to its own President, Gerry Adams?”

Mick Fealty on December 22, 2009, 8:26 pm

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Ruth Dudley Edwards has very much a witness for the prosecution account of the Adams child abuse case in the Daily Mail. It’s worth reading for the time line, since it demonstrates just what Adams’ inaction meant for his family, and over what period of time. But Dudley Edwards makes the more political point on how damaging this whole affair has been for a party that only days before was excoriating the Catholic Church on precisely this same subject: The …

“as soon as he heard of the possibility his brother might be nominated..”

Pete Baker on December 21, 2009, 8:31 pm

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In addition to the report Mick noted in the Irish News, that Liam Adams had worked as a part-time assistant youth worker at the Clonard Youth Centre between 1998 and 2003, the paper carries a quote from a “Sinn Féin spokesman” about the reports of Liam Adams seeking the Sinn Féin Dáil nomination for Co Louth in 1997. “Liam Adams did not put his name foward for selection in 1997. Sinn Féin are saying that this story is completely inaccurate. …

Liam Adams worked with young people in West Belfast: 1998-2003…

Mick Fealty on December 21, 2009, 6:12 pm

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That’s according to today’s front page story today… in Clonard Youth Centre Liam Adams had been cleared at the time to work with young children… This at a time when his brother had been working very closely with Alex Reid at the Monastery… How on earth did he NOT know his brother was working with children there? Gerry Adams will be on TalkBack at 12.45. “No one can tell where this story is going”, Gerry Moriarty points out this morning, …

“when I learnt that he was a member of Sinn Féin..”

Pete Baker on December 21, 2009, 3:43 am

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Questions remain about Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ actions during the 22 years since he was told of the allegations of child abuse by his brother Liam – allegations he told UTV Insight Special that he believed on hearing them from his niece Aine in 1987. The Sunday Tribune report on Liam Adams’ attempt to secure the Sinn Féin Dáil nomination for Co Louth in 1997 has a photograph of Gerry Adams at Liam Adams’ second marriage, taken sometime after …

Adams recommended his brother to candidature of a Dail seat in 1997…

Mick Fealty on December 20, 2009, 3:06 pm

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So according to the Insight Special programme (and as noted first by Pete and now Suzy), Gerry Adams knew of his niece’s abuse at the hands of her father (his brother) for 22 years… So, why then, according to Anthony McIntyre, did Gerry Adams “promote a man who he firmly believed to be a child rapist as a possible contender for a Dail seat in 1997”? UPdate: IOL confirm what one of our commenters wje noted on Pete’s thread on …

“The only way this can happen now is through the courts.”

Pete Baker on December 18, 2009, 10:26 pm

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Today’s Irish News carries the front-page story of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ statement last night on the issuing of an arrest warrant for his younger brother Liam, who is in his 50s, in relation to serious allegations of child sex abuse. According to the Irish News report, Liam Adams had failed to appear at a pre-arranged preliminary inquiry at a Belfast court. Other reports, including the BBC, state that the arrest warrant was issued last year. Liam Adams’ house …

“community development is a matter for the devolved administration and not the NIO”

Pete Baker on December 18, 2009, 1:02 am

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BBC NI’s Vincent Kearney reports that Martin McAleese, husband of Irish President Mary McAleese, “approached the British and Irish Governments and the NI Executive for millions of pounds of funding for UDA controlled areas. It is understood decommissioning stalled because of a perceived failure to deliver the money promised.” Mr McAleese has a well known relationship with senior UDA figures. He is understood to have held a series of meetings with Jackie McDonald and other UDA leaders to discuss their …

“It was quite commonly said within that community..”

Pete Baker on December 17, 2009, 7:45 pm

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Newshound spotted this CNN article in which former deputy director of the CIA, Richard Kerr, now a member of the Independent Monitoring Commission, warns of the activities of still-violent republican paramilitary groups. The figures quoted are worth comparing with those of Judith Gillespie, PSNI deputy chief constable. The article also quotes Paul Bew on something which may be contributing to the internal pressure and the external “crisis” “The Good Friday agreement is not delivering on rapid progress towards Irish unity, …

The 2002 Stormont raid and those meddling securocrats….

Mick Fealty on December 17, 2009, 5:49 pm

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I’ve a piece in the News Letter’s political supplement today which looks at the shifting dynamics of the last ten years of politics in Northern Ireland… In looking back through Slugger’s archives I came across some very interesting pieces… not least this observation from Anthony McIntyre at the Blanket written towards the end of October in 2002… Here’s the last paragraph: It is often claimed by Sinn Fein that moves such as the search of Sinn Fein offices at Stormont …

Irish News: McGlone – ‘McDonnell gaining support for leader

Oul Micky Hoot on December 17, 2009, 3:38 pm

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In today’s Irish News (p25) recently SDLP Deputy Leader (elect) Patsy McGlone said he had seen an upswing in support during his consultation of party faithful for South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell. McGlone may not pride himself on exhaustive John Quincy Adams impressions on the floor of the Assembly but there is no doubt that like McDonnell when it comes to reading the nuances of party members he is quite adept. Whether or not any recent shift is as a …

Cameron’s difficulty; Alliance’s opportunity?

Mick Fealty on December 17, 2009, 2:24 pm

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We should see the colour of the UCU-NF money locally by the end of January, but, in the meantime, Lord Ashcroft’s untaxed marginal millions are coming in for a bit of unwanted scrutiny. And yet, although there are some within the DUP who are looking to maximise their advantage in a hung parliament, the spreads are still giving the Tories a good 50 seat majority, even if it is moving downward. But Henry McDonald explores another possible scenario which would …

“The Government is ready to implement changes to arrangements..”

Pete Baker on December 17, 2009, 1:15 am

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Their term was due to end on 31 December… The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, MP, has announced his intention to reappoint Parades Commissioners for a further 12 months. “The St Andrews Agreement proposed the need for a review of parading with a view to developing an agreed long-term strategy. The Government remains committed to working with the parties to find a way of dealing with contentious parades and to ensure that oversight arrangements are appropriate to current …

More due process

Pete Baker on December 16, 2009, 11:26 pm

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The last time I mentioned this case it was to note that The Public Prosecution Service is said to be considering the judge’s verdict after Brian Arthurs, who was named in this 2005 Sunday Times report as a member of the PIRA army council and had been jailed for 25 years in 1995 for possession of explosives, was acquited on all charges fifteen months after being charged under the Proceeds of Crime Act [May 23, 2007] The prosecution had been …

“those who promote peace and the politics and the institutions of Northern Ireland..”

Pete Baker on December 16, 2009, 10:41 pm

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NI Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward has told the House of Commons that “We will ensure that those who promote peace and the politics and the institutions of Northern Ireland have the appropriate protection that they deserve.” He had been asked about the reported threats to Mr Justice Treacy. Meanwhile the BBC reports that the Court of Appeal have rejected Terence McCafferty’s legal challenge to the decision by NI Justice Minister Paul Goggins, MP, to revoke the licence under which …

David McNarry on the cost of double jobbing MPs…

Mick Fealty on December 16, 2009, 6:42 pm

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In practical terms, Westminster is by far the most stable job in Northern Irish politics. Councils are still waiting on the horse trading to finish over the RPA and who knows what’s to happen with the Assembly when the incumbents of semi detached polit-bureau (aka OFMdFM) have dealt with all their domestic row over policing and justice. But it is interesting to hear someone from inside the Ulster Unionist unambiguously lay out the absences of Northern Irish MPs from the …

“while we do not recommend that the Legacy Commission go ahead as proposed..”

Pete Baker on December 16, 2009, 6:42 pm

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The House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has published its report on the Consultative Group on the Past in NI’s report. There’s a BBC report and an Irish Times report on it. Brief report highlights here and the full report is available here. From the report’s conclusions and recommendations 19. We believe that the proposed mechanisms for truth recovery and thematic investigation do not represent viable courses of action with which families, victims and paramilitaries will engage. In treading …

McGlone is to be the new Deputy Leader of the SDLP…

Mick Fealty on December 15, 2009, 7:33 pm

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It seems the SDLP have a leader…. well, no, not really… But they do have a new deputy leader in Patsy McGlone, one of the few SDLP MLAs who have actually built on their own local equity even as the party’s general democratic value continues to drop… There were other candidates in the field, but none managed to get the minimum support required, so McGlone wins long before the party even gets a chance to vote its new leader in… …

“There are still days left to Christmas..”

Pete Baker on December 15, 2009, 3:23 am

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I’ve had to separate this clip from the previous post due to technical issues. Anyway, here’s the blogging Ken Reid’s studio analysis of that press conference. As I said, it sounds as if there was another “We’re not in May” moment too. Video courtesy of UTV. Update As spiritof07 points out in the comments zone, here’s a more explicit paragraph from the Ashdown Interim Report – which contains the signature of, amongst others, Sean Murray. “Consistent with our desire to …

Who will the UUs choose to run for South Belfast…

Mick Fealty on December 15, 2009, 3:21 am

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Slugger hears that Bob Stoker and Michael McGimpsey are the only candidates that will square off for the party’s South Belfast candidature for Westminster… That’s not a surprise, but given how McGimpsey bombed both in 2005 – losing a formerly safe UU seat to the SDLP’s Alisdair McDonnell conceding third place to a virtual unknown DUP candidate in the process – and then managed to chip even more off his total in 2007 it is a pretty poor back to …