Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-09-Speech-1-073"
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"en.20050509.14.1-073"2
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"Mr President, I too welcome the McCartney family here this afternoon and offer them my support in their efforts to get justice in the appalling murder of Robert.
In my view the death of Robert McCartney was not in any way politically motivated. The people who murdered him should be obliged to face judgment in the courts and to serve their sentences in prison. The fact that most, if not all, of the people involved in this murder are either members or supporters of the IRA or Sinn Féin in no way excuses their actions. Their failure to give themselves up for justice endangers the reputation of Sinn Féin and of its leadership. Even more importantly, the failure of Sinn Féin’s leadership to ensure that justice is done in this case undermines the cause of Irish Republicanism. Nobody should ever be allowed to use the cloak of Irish Republicanism to hide the murder of an innocent person when the motives have no political justification whatsoever.
Like the great majority of the people on the island of Ireland, I have always aspired to a united Ireland. I have always thought of myself as an Irish Republican, as indeed do the McCartney family. I am therefore sickened that anybody should expect that their republicanism can be used as an excuse for violent and despicable acts of murder, particularly in the case of Robert McCartney.
This is a view which I believe is shared by the vast majority of the Irish people. The cause of Irish Republicanism must be completely separated from common criminality now and in the future. The actions and statements of the Sinn Féin leadership over the last few months have failed to make any significant progress in getting justice for the McCartney family. It is still not too late for the Sinn Féin leadership to rectify this failure, provided it has the commitment to do so.
As the leaders of the largest republican party in the six counties, and in particular after last week’s election, they have a duty to separate the cause of Irish Republicanism from the acts of common criminals. They also have an obligation to the McCartney family, who have a right to expect justice for the murder of Robert. This appalling saga has already gone on for far too long. I commend this motion to the House."@en1
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