Gerry Adams , Sinn Féin President
The Irish Times has set out its clear opposition to Sinn Féin in advance of the next general election.
Last week the paper published three editorials in the space of seven days questioning Sinn Féin’s political bona fides and fitness for Government.
In addition, Political Editor Stephen Collins (Sinn Féin casts a dark shadow over Irish democracy, The Irish Times, 14 March) made a highly-charged direct appeal to the entire political establishment to unite against Sinn Féin.
Fintan O’Toole accused us of putting party interests first; of lying and of being incapable of understanding the concepts of accountability, openness and honesty.
Each of these extraordinary anti-Sinn Féin polemics has been based on erroneous information and spurious claims.
On 7 March, the editorial made the outrageous, unsubstantiated and entirely false claim that a portion of Sinn Féin’s income was derived from illegal sources. There was no attempt to back up this slanderous accusation with any evidence.
On 11 March, another editorial claimed, completely erroneously, that Sinn Féin had “plunged the political process” in the North into crisis. The facts contradict this. The crisis was sparked by the DUP resiling from a key part of the Stormont House Agreement providing social protections for citizens. However, this is now history. The effort must be to fully implement the Stormont House Agreement. That is Sinn Féin’s focus.
Then, on 14 March, the paper claimed that Sinn Féin had refused to co-operate fully with law enforcement agencies in relation to the serious issue of sexual abuse. Not true. Sinn Féin and I have co-operated fully with An Garda Síochána in relation to these matters.
That the attacks on Sinn Féin will intensify as the election draws closer will be no surprise but, as the so-called ‘paper of record’, the Irish Times should not resort to misreporting, misleading comment or false accusations.
Is mise,
Gerry Adams TD,
The letter the Irish Times refuse to print apparently.
FIGHT!
Gerry Adams’s letter the Irish Times refuses to print (JohnHedges, An Phoblacht)
He’s not wrong.
He is wrong. Sure didn’t they publish an article by himself this morning.
Totally correct. The times and the rest of the self loathing media are out of touch. No wonder sales are plummeting.
I’d not considered that. I foolishly thought it was because everyone could get their news for free on the net.
Considering their recent water bill, most of their polices are on the same level as purchasing magic beans
I’d vote for my granny’s unsavoury underpants if I thought there was a good chance they’d get enough support to topple the twits that are in now. If a lot of the media thought there was a chance those underpants were capable of upsetting the status quo, those drawers would be shown in a bad light in the papers every other day.
What he said
I’m for new underpants.
always.
I would still vote for them over the corrupt shower that are in charge now.
You have preferences when it comes to corruption? Personally I shy away from murderers, drug dealers, bank robbers, extortionists and rapist protectors first and then have a look at what is really serious corruption. I’m not excusing the current shower but really, if you think about it for even a few minutes, it’s not in the same league.
there may be an onus on The Irish Times to back up some accusations with facts but the contention that Sinn Fein are guilty “of lying and of being incapable of understanding the concepts of accountability, openness and honesty” is 100% accurate. They are scum.
That contention also seems to be a fair description of any and all political organisations you might examine.
MMMM while I’m not a fan of any political party that’s not really true. Nice glib reply though. It will go down a treat in the pub.
It perfectly describes all political parties on the island
+100%
How do you know?
Hear, hear !
*Takes top hat off and bangs cane on the floor repeatedly*
“…….being incapable of understanding the concepts of accountability, openness and honesty.”
Well with credentials like that they’re more than ready to go into government.
So that’s it is it?. The Irish Times aren’t honest enough to publish Gerry’s trademark whining denials. So its down to good ol’ Broadsheet to publish the truth again.
actually it was AN PHOBLACHT that published it. Big surprise there wha’? BS is just reporting.
Reporting what? You’ll be telling me that they have a position on gay marriage next.
no I won’t.
Jesus Christ, this is rich even by Dear Leader’s standards.
“There was no attempt to back up this slanderous accusation with any evidence.”
Firstly, that’s libel not slander. Secondly, if it is indeed libellous feel free to take them to court and prove it Jarry.
if he’s going to court you’d presume he’d sue for Defamation, considering that’s what replaced both those torts 6 years ago. but then again we do know that he’s not drafting a legal document, he’s writing a letter in a vernacular that is perfectly clear and appropriate to its function and audience so we might as well leave it be, tbf.
Why, St. John? The man is a hypocrite, and a liar, and he’s playing the victim – as usual. Why should he be allowed to write whatever he wants, or why should Mary Lou be allowed to abuse Dáil privilege, or have a sit-in whenever she so chooses? I’m not looking for an argument here, but the fact is, Sinn Féin want everybody else to be held accountable for their actions, going back decades, when Gerry himself won’t even admit to being in the PIRA? Gerry is a very clever man, and he will do absolutely whatever it takes to muddy the proverbial waters when it comes to him, or his party’s relationship with the PIRA and paedophilia. He has no intention of being Taoiseach next year, he’s just laying the groundwork for the subsequent General Election, whenever that may be, and in the interim, he’s covering his backside with populist rhetoric and policies because a lot can change during the course of a few years. He’s not ‘The Man Who Would Be King’, because he already is king across so many communities in this country, north and south – even though many others still live with SF/IRA’s legacy on a daily basis, as do their children and grandchildren.
Leaving SF’s fantasy economic policies aside; Gerry has admitted [on behalf of the PIRA] to knowing the identities of, and of transferring paedophiles within both jurisdictions in this country. How, or why, would anyone endorse that wilful, sick, sociopathic behaviour by giving his party a vote?
Well said !
So they’re not be voted for either. Right then- who’s left to vote for again?
+1, zarathusa
Abusing Dáil privilege…. you mean when she named the politicians who have Ansbacher accounts? If thats taking advantage of her position then long may she last and more power to her!
I agree Jimmy. Let Mary Lounatic keep shouting all she wants. She is only pushing people on the fence, off it and to someone else.
+1 Zara
Then he should have said “defamatory accusation”. Given that he’s an effing lawmaker, he should know the state of defamation law in this jurisdiction as well as the common law libel/slander distinction. It’s pretty obvious he was just using a big word to make himself sound smarter than he is.
I suppose I can agree with your implicit suggestion that his audience – which I presume to be Sinn Féin supporters as it was published in the SF mouthpiece “An Phoblacht” – would be too ignorant to understand such a distinction.
‘lawmakers’ are not lawyers and ‘defamatory accusation’ have no more brevity than ‘slanderous accusation’
‘the Irish Times should not resort to misreporting, misleading comment or false accusations.’ Neither should Mary Lou, Gerry.
LOL
+100 I hope they keep her and support all the crap she spouts. It only does them more damage. Her, and the part, are only there for self promotion.
Gerry Adams………..YAWN!
Totally agree with the Irish Times’ stance. SF/IRA in government is a terrifying prospect.
+1…keep it going IT. Bunch of paedo protecting, murdering , lying p€@cks those SF people. Wouldn’t give them the steam off me water
+1
Oh really loike? Are you literally and genuinely scarified??
No its not
Nice socks though.
It’s Broadsheets sock picture.
Dear Jerry,
You and Sinn Fein are all a shower of lying, politically immature, little islander, persecution – complex, Waaaaaah – boy moaners. And I bet the Irish Times will not print this either. Meh.
Dear Jerry,
You and Sinn Fein are all a shower of lying, politically immature, little islander, persecution – complex, Waaaaaah – boy moaners. And I bet the Irish Times will not print this either. Meh.
So stupid you had to say it twice??
A bit like your redundant eroteme, maybe?
Clever clogs!
Why are the Dublin media so worried about Sinn Fein, they afraid the’d have
something to loose if Sinn Fein took control. are there soft jobs, privelages,
pensions and perks at stake….me wonders….?
“Dublin Media”? Arseholes in Mé fein have been terrorising people all across this island for years but if the “Dublin media” have the anonymity to stick it to them then off ye go lads.
I think you might need a sub-editor …like.
easy, don’t trust a man wearing a child’s socks
Probably got them out of his fathers drawer by mistake.
The petulant fear the inbred D4 Paedo weirdos have of the Shinners always amazes me TBF
As other commenters note perhaps it’s the certain knowledge that irrespective of which fag end of the permanent FuppFailFuppGaelLabrador coalition of vested interests protectors get in at one time nothing’s much going to change to upset the er, Apple tart, with the Shinners though you just can’t trust them Nordies
You forgot “I’m no Sinn Fein voter, but…”
Ahh, leave the cub alone, he’s still growing in to his paws.
Bite me ;)
I wouldn’t be a political party voter actually – though in a way your exact cadence and tenor bespeaks the sort of barely together paranoid reactionary loon of whom I speak. Why do they put the shits up yous lads so much?
Your lumping of FF, FG and Labour in together as the ‘establishment’ or whatever reminds me of the way UKIP sympathisers frequently refer to the ‘LibLabCon’ – which isn’t surprising given that Sinn Féin occupy the same reactionary niche here as the kippers do in the UK.
Never mind what shinners say or do, try addressing the substance of the point. If there’s substantial policy differences between the respective gravy savourers I’m damned if I can taste it
I wasn’t really trying to address the substance of your ‘point’ to be honest. I was just remarking on the reactionary tone of the anti-establishment rhetoric embodied in your post and how bog standard it is.
Funny thing is the exact same things would be said of SF and/or the Socialists/PBP/AAA etc if they got into power in 2016. The new, “radical” government would realise very fuppin quickly that their populist voodoo economics horsesh*t just doesn’t fly (like SYRIZA currently are in Greece), they would stay the course of their predecessors and their voters would resume b*tching about how “all these fuppin political parties are all the fuppin same”, except with their former messiahs now included. Rinse and repeat.
Labour in the last five years is a good example of the above in action. Thinking of all the people who actually bought the Gilmore for Taoiseach and Labour’s Way cr*p makes me cringe.
Absolutely spot on!
Presumably you’re not a Sinn Fein voter yourself? Lol. What’s the matter with you though – are you so cynical and jaded that you imagine that the government changing hands and more importantly the power dynamics can never result in any sort of meaningful change by definition? Great, no need for a democratic process.
Besides I didn’t speak to the possibilities arising from a government featuring the Shinners because it hasn’t happened yet. I didn’t see the point in bringing up a sick nightmare that hasn’t happened yet but no need when the likes of yourself and other bed wetters will readily do so
Wtf are you even talking about? Poll data has never shown ukip to have even near same level of support as Shinners do here
Personally, if I were looking to defend SF, one word I’d leave out is paedo. It kind of draws attention to a very significant reason lots of people have utter contempt for them.
Reading through this thread it seems that some posters are quite happy they now also have the Paedo stick to beat the shinners with.
Fair enough, but would it not be right in saying that the decades of institutional abuse that happened in this country at the hands of the Church and the like, happened under the watch of the ruling parties of the day who often were made aware of it but turned a blind eye for fear on incriminating clergymen?
You can definitely beat Sinn Fein with that stick, but not at the same time as supporting FF/FG…
Well done you. Personally I don’t give a shite about how shinners dealt with paedos in the past but when you’re at it could you also please “draw attention” to how our own dear beloved dear leaders here dealt with the Catholic church paedo ring in times gone by too. I suppose that your point has validity for those victims of SF paedos who yet seek justice though
Well I think how they continue to deal with paedos to this day is a measure of their moral worth today. And if you think I’m a catholic or have any sympathy with their church, supporters, defenders or protectors, you don’t have the angle on my attitude. And that goes for FF/FG, never voted for any of that shower either.
The way they’ve behaved towards those who seek justice today turns my stomach.
In any event, my point was that given that their pussyfooting around paedos is a current story ,if I was going to defend SF, I would not mention paedos because it only reminds everyone else exactly where they stand on this issue.
fair enough, I pretty much agree with that
Poor St Gerry the Victim again.
I’ll light a candle for him.
+1
He may be right but I find him impossible to trust until he comes clean about his activities during the troubles. I can believe Martin McGuinness because he has
Do we really think that SF in government will make any kind of difference? That they won’t roll back on the promises, or appoint their friends to ‘advisory’ positions which just have to break the salary cap? Or take their ministerial pensions and allowances and generally morph into the well fed capitalist politician we know so well in the great little country of ours?
Having said that, I would pretty much do anything to keep them out. The lack of alternatives is disheartening, but that’s not a reason to vote SF.
The most popular party in the country has no supporters on BS. Hmm, that means you must all be FG, FF or heaven forbid Labour. Or maybe independent like Mick Wallace,,, Maybe on the other hand, like so many other things, your are just against stuff.
the majority only come on here to anonymously slag off the people they will more than likely vote for in the end.
Funny reading these comments, so many half strung together arguments about this and that with no links to back up anything and all punctuated by making fun of his Northern Irish accent and colourful socks.
Gerry owns twitter. Hes got my vote.
funky socks like a good English man.
Irish media pushing a political agenda shocker.
He is correct. The hatred for SF in the southern establishment is something to behold, all the noise in the media is the noise of fear – a fear that a relatively ‘radical’ party might upset the sweet deals and troughs that feed the top. Thats it. Where is the forensic and nuanced examination of all the sources of FG finance by the Irish Times – I’m sure there are some corporate nuggets floating in that mire.
The current/previous set of willfully incompetent clowns in power have literally ridden the hoop off us all, again and again – where is the vitriol?
The war in the North is over. It’s been over for 20 years. All the accusations mentioned above have been dealt with by numerous agencies, numerous times.
And yes, I might vote for them. It’ll depend on the levels of hysteria generated, as that will betray the fear of change in an morbidly conservative establishment.
Ah Kolmo. Bless your innocence.
Just because both sides of the conflict have stopped publicly blowing each other up, or the southern media stopped reporting, does not mean the war is over. According to the Belfast Telegraph there are two paramilitary-style attacks week in Belfast.
And do you honestly, truly believe that SF in government won’t be seduced by the ‘sweet deals and troughs that feed the top’, once they get there?
every week, that should read.
Only time will tell Quizzy, TBH the current political situation could only get worse if they replaced water charges with genocide
There are many valid reasons not to vote for Sinn Fein (I seriously doubt I’ll vote for them myself), but “If they get into power they might be just as corrupt as everyone else” isn’t one of them. I’ll take the party who might not be corrupt over the one that’s proven themselves to be time and again.
+1
Fair enough Lorcan. But I’ll just leave this here …
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/apr/08/sinn-fein-expenses
As was wisely said in an earlier comment, rinse and repeat.
‘Paramilitary attacks’ = local gangsters protecting their patch. just like everyday in Dublin, except they are correctly referred to as criminals in the press, not paramilitaries. The war is over, but obnoxious sectarianism in socially deprived loyalist areas used as a political tool has not gone away.