Kennedy ‘unsurprised’ by Smithwick revelations

Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kennedy has responded to the latest revelations to emerge from the Smithwick Inquiry in Dublin, which is investigating the murders of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan in 1989.

The Newry & Armagh representative spoke to Newry Times and said, “The idea that the then Prime Minister and the Secretary of State were aware in the mid 1980’s that the Garda had been infiltrated by the IRA will come as no real surprise to those of us who lived through that period of our history.”

“What this information does is confirm the suspicion that many pro-Union people held, that elements within the Northern Ireland Office and particularly the Foreign Office, were actively working to suppress the truth from the people of Northern Ireland, and that there were deliberate attempts made by Government officials to soften the impact of some of the worst terrorist atrocities ever carried out in Northern Ireland by Republicans.”

“It is also now clear,” he continued, “That the political establishment in Dublin was determined to suppress the truth, and, by their actions, they perversely and deliberately protected those who inflicted murder and mayhem on people living in Northern Ireland.”

He added, “Although the truth of these events has taken a long time to emerge, now is the time for Enda Kenny to acknowledge and accept the abject failures and serious mistakes of previous Irish political leaders and administrations by finally and publicly apologising for what was permitted to take place within its jurisdiction, otherwise his own reputation will be tarnished.”

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Posted by Newry Times News on May 16 2012. Filed under Community, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry