22/10/2012
Republic Accused Of Neglecting NI
A Fianna Fáil TD has accused the Irish government of neglecting Northern Ireland over the peace process.
Micheal Martin is the leader of the Republic's main opposition party, Fianna Fail.
The comments were made yesterday during an event to commemorate the Irish revolutionary, Wolfe Tone, at Bodenstown Cemetery in County Kildare.
Mr Martin said the Irish government had "dramatically reduced its level of engagement with Northern affairs.
"Given the effort that went into this process over a very long time by very many people, this sort of disengagement and complacency by our own government is unacceptable," he said.
Fianna Fáil was in power in the Republic continuously between 1997 and 2011 and was involved in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.
Mr Martin said: "Unfortunately too many people today think that the work is over - that we can take for granted what has been achieved. This could be a mistake of historic proportions."
He added that Fine Gael Taoiseach Enda Kenny had made "no attempt" to move the Northern Ireland peace process on to the next stage.
But he also focussed on the DUP and Sinn Féin in his criticisms.
"It is as best foolish and at worst reckless to step back and believe that the DUP and Sinn Féin are capable of working in the interests of all groups," he said.
"They have constantly shown an interest in putting party interests ahead of broader interests."
A statement from Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said: "Micheál Martin’s criticism of the Fine Gael/Labour government rings hollow. This government is simply implementing the policies of the last Fianna Fáil government."
"His attack on Sinn Fein is equally bogus," he said.
"The end of conflict, the peace process and the power sharing institutions are among the greatest achievements of modern years."
(IT)
Micheal Martin is the leader of the Republic's main opposition party, Fianna Fail.
The comments were made yesterday during an event to commemorate the Irish revolutionary, Wolfe Tone, at Bodenstown Cemetery in County Kildare.
Mr Martin said the Irish government had "dramatically reduced its level of engagement with Northern affairs.
"Given the effort that went into this process over a very long time by very many people, this sort of disengagement and complacency by our own government is unacceptable," he said.
Fianna Fáil was in power in the Republic continuously between 1997 and 2011 and was involved in the Good Friday Agreement negotiations.
Mr Martin said: "Unfortunately too many people today think that the work is over - that we can take for granted what has been achieved. This could be a mistake of historic proportions."
He added that Fine Gael Taoiseach Enda Kenny had made "no attempt" to move the Northern Ireland peace process on to the next stage.
But he also focussed on the DUP and Sinn Féin in his criticisms.
"It is as best foolish and at worst reckless to step back and believe that the DUP and Sinn Féin are capable of working in the interests of all groups," he said.
"They have constantly shown an interest in putting party interests ahead of broader interests."
A statement from Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said: "Micheál Martin’s criticism of the Fine Gael/Labour government rings hollow. This government is simply implementing the policies of the last Fianna Fáil government."
"His attack on Sinn Fein is equally bogus," he said.
"The end of conflict, the peace process and the power sharing institutions are among the greatest achievements of modern years."
(IT)
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