Family has little faith of change on the street

IRA members will not cede control of strongly republican districts in the North, despite yesterday’s announcement on the decommissioning of weapons, the sister of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney said last night.

Paula McCartney said she had little faith there would be any change on the ground, certainly in the short term.

Members of the organisation were accused of being centrally involved in the late January murder of Mr McCartney, who was beaten and stabbed to death outside a pub in Belfast.

The McCartney family, and the murdered man’s partner, Bridgeen Hagans, accused the IRA of covering up for the murderers and have launched a campaign for justice.

Their story revealed to a wider public how, in certain areas, the IRA retains a huge amount of control over the population, including in the Short Strand district of east Belfast, where the McCartneys grew up.

While two people have been charged in connection with the murder, the McCartney family believes many others were involved and are still being protected by the republican movement.

Ms McCartney said of yesterday’s announcement: “Obviously my opinion is that anything that advances peace must be welcomed.

“But at the end of the day, our campaign is not about IRA decommissioning, it’s about justice. They have fulfilled their statement in regards to decommissioning, we are still looking for them to help bring Robert’s murderers to justice.

“There is still intimidation and an end to that would show the sincerity in reality, on the street.”

Time will tell whether there will be changes, she said.

“If members carry out a crime such as murder, will they be held to account or protected?”