DEBATES:DUP DEPUTY leader Nigel Dodds accused successive Irish governments of being complicit "in the years of terror" in Northern Ireland, while Minister for Enterprise Arlene Foster demanded an apology from Dublin for "funding and sheltering terrorists".
Mr Dodds was critical of Taoiseach Enda Kenny over his recent demands for a public inquiry into the UDA murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane and his statement in Belfast that he would canvass London, Europe and Washington on the issue.
“Mr Kenny, if you come to Northern Ireland to start a selective campaign on the past, we serve notice we are on your case and we are coming after the truth about your State,” he told the DUP annual conference.
Mr Dodds added: “Pat Finucane was murdered. And that murder was reprehensible . . . and justice demands that all those who commit murder or are complicit in murder should be arrested, charged, convicted and sentenced.
“But Pat Finucane was not the only person to be brutally murdered. He was not even the only prominent lawyer to be murdered. No one has ever been brought to account for the murder of Edgar Graham at Queen’s University in December 1983. We hear little about that. He was a unionist.”
The North Belfast MP said the Irish Government must put its house in order.
“British government apologies have been made but none from Dublin. Let’s have a look at successive Irish governments’ direct and indirect complicity in the years of terror in Northern Ireland,” he said. “Let us have a detailed examination of the origins of the IRA campaign. Let’s look at IRA’s financing, their training and who helped arm them. Let’s investigate how Dublin allowed its territory to be used as a safe haven for terrorists. All that has been assiduously ignored.”
Mr Dodds said that Sinn Féin was seeking to rewrite history but that “one simple and absolute truth will endure for all time: the terrorist campaign of the Provisional IRA was criminal, genocidal and sectarian.
“It was unjustified and will always be unjustifiable. Let republicans acknowledge that truth. Then we can all move forward,” he added.
Mr Dodds also said that in the Republic “the Germans are now in charge”, while Ms Foster said the euro project had failed and Northern Ireland should be very thankful that the British government held with sterling.
“Let us not forget that one of the initiatives to help the euro zone was a bailout fund for the Republic of Ireland. Despite our budget being cut from Westminster, money was found to help the Republic,” she added.
“Are they grateful? I’d venture to say that Enda Kenny should be expressing his appreciation for the assistance rather than lecturing us all about more costly inquiries,” said Ms Foster.
“Conference, we are all aware of the role that previous Irish governments had in funding, and sheltering, terrorists . . . I will do all in my power to push the Irish Government to apologise for their wrongdoing . . . It is long past the time to acknowledge their part in this past 40 years . . . If we are to have good relations . . . it must be built on mutual respect.”
