Adams urges 'family members or otherwise' to offer information on alleged rapist

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is urging anyone with information about an alleged rapist, "family members or otherwise", to tell gardaí of his whereabouts.

Adams urges 'family members or otherwise' to offer information on alleged rapist

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is urging anyone with information about an alleged rapist, "family members or otherwise", to tell gardaí of his whereabouts.

It follows the BBC Spotlight programme last night, in which 40-year-old Louth man Paudie McGahon said he had been raped by an IRA member in the 1990s and was made to face a "kangaroo court" in 2002.

The matter is now with the gardaí.

Mairia Cahill, who has made similar allegations, said that she believes that the alleged rapist's relatives are active Sinn Féin members living in Co Louth.

When asked on LMFM if that was the case, Deputy Gerry said: “Well, I don't know that he has relatives who are active in Sinn Féin in Co Louth, but anyone, family members or otherwise, should bring forward information.

“Anyone, without exception whatsoever, should bring that information forward.”

Deputy Adams confirmed that he knows the identity of Mr McGahon's alleged rapist

In relation to Mr McGahon's alleged experience of a “kangaroo court”, Deputy Adams said that if it happened at all, it was totally wrong - and he insisted that these issues need to be brought into the open.

“I don’t want the issues to go away,” he said.

“I want the issues out there, I want them out in the light of day.

“I want those people who have been abused, particularly by republicans or those purporting to be republicans, but any victim of abuse by anyone, to have justice and for the perpetrators to be brought forward.”

UPDATE: Taoiseach Enda Kenny later said that he found Gerry Adams' interview this morning "quite incredulous".

Speaking in Irish in the Dáil, Gerry Adams said there was no cover-up by Sinn Féin and that the party have answered questions.

The Taoiseach says that is not the case.

“Who was at the kangaroo court, who ordered that? Where are they now?” he said.

“And if a Fine Gael member, of any of our branches around the country, was exiled, or was in a different place, you’d find them in 10 minutes.

“I think there’s a duty arising from your question for Deputy Adams to clear up a lot of questions of this latest revelation, which occurred in this jurisdiction.”

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