Pearse Doherty: The claims by Michel Martin are u...

http://www.thejournal.ie/pearse-doherty-micheal-ma...

Thursday 28 Nov, 2013 http://jrnl.ie/1197052

Pearse Doherty: The claims by Michel Martin are unfounded and untrue
Sinn Fins finance spokesperson has hit back at the Fianna Fil leader over claims he made about the Republican movement last night.

Updated 5.05pm SINN FIN FINANCE spokesperson Pearse Doherty has said that claims from the Fianna Fail leader Michel Martin that there were alleged cases of abuse in the Republican movement that were dealt with internally are unfounded and untrue. Doherty made his comments today amid an ongoing
Pearse Doherty (File photo)

Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland row between Fianna Fil and Sinn Fin after Martin said yesterday his party is aware of a number of cases where the Republican movement attempted to deal with cases of sexual abuse

internally, rather than involve the authorities. Martin made the accusation following the sentencing of Liam Adams, brother of Gerry, for the rape and abuse of his own daughter. He said there are questions to be answered by the Sinn Fin president over the time it took for him to alert authorities to his brothers abuse. Speaking at Leinster House today, Doherty said: To use a case where somebody was sexually abused and on the day that that victim was vindicated in the courts where Gerry Adams took to the stand and testified in support of that victim, against his brother to use that day and try and throw cheap political pot shots at Sinn Fin is a new low for Michel Martin and for Fianna Fil.
I think there are many members of Fianna Fil, I think, that will be disappointed with his remarks yesterday and its untrue.

Repeatedly asked if he knew anything about claims that the Republican movement dealt with alleged cases of abuse internally, Doherty responded: Its unfounded and untrue, its as clear as I can make it.
The claims by Michel Martin are unfounded and untrue and theyre disgraceful.

Doherty said that Martin had stepped into new ground in terms of lowness in political

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Pearse Doherty: The claims by Michel Martin are u...

http://www.thejournal.ie/pearse-doherty-micheal-ma...

politics repeating that his claims are unfounded and untrue. Fianna Fil said this evening that it wont be commenting on Dohertys remarks at the moment. First published 4.19pm
Read: McDonald says Michel Martin is scapegoating Gerry Adams
(http://www.thejournal.ie/mary-lou-mcdonald-sinn-fein-micheal-martin-gerry-adams1196198-Nov2013/)

Michel Martin: Republican movement failed to protect some sex abuse victims (http://www.thejournal.ie/micheal-martin-republicans-sex-abuse-claims1195235-Nov2013/)

About the author:

Hugh O'Connell

@oconnellhugh hugh@thejournal.ie

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