McGuinness: FF trying to win votes with IRA-link claims
Fianna Fáil is trying to win votes back from Sinn Féin by questioning Gerry Adams‘ links to the IRA, Martin McGuinness has claimed.
The Northern Ireland deputy first minister said Micheál Martin was under pressure to regain ground lost to Sinn Féin in the election campaign.
“I don’t talk about who’s in the IRA and who’s not in the IRA,” Mr McGuinness said. “That’s really an attempt by Micheál Martin, who’s under pressure as the new leader of Fianna Fáil, to try and win back the ground that they’ve lost against Sinn Féin.
“I think the vast majority of people in Ireland are not fixated about the past.”
Mr McGuinness was canvassing in Tallaght with Dublin South West Sinn Féin candidate Sean Crowe as Mr Adams faced further questions about his past from political opponents and the public in a live radio broadcast.
Mr Adams has repeatedly denied being an IRA member.
The Louth candidate claimed if he was facing allegations about his past questions should also be asked about Labour leader Eamon Gilmore‘s old republican links.
Mr McGuinness said: “Gerry Adams has given his answer and that’s the end of it as far as I’m concerned.”
The Sinn Féin negotiator also hit out at remarks Mr Martin made over Mr Adams‘ decision to quit his Westminster West Belfast seat and contest the election.
Mr McGuinness said some viewers in the North would have been offended by Mr Martin‘s comments on Monday night when he challenged Mr Adams over allegations of fraud in banking circles.
“People in the North would feel affronted at some of the remarks that were made on the debate the other night,” Mr McGuinness said.
“Where one party leader tried to give the impression that we’re not part of the Irish nation. That we’re northerners, that we’re people maybe to be despised or not to be respected. And an awful lot of people in the North don’t like that.”
