Pressure mounts to reverse McCabe killers deal

PRESSURE was mounting on the Government last night to row back on its decision to sanction the release of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe’s killers as part of a deal on the North that may be secured on Wednesday.

Garda representatives from the Limerick division will meet in Adare today the village where the detective died in a hail of bullets eight years ago to discuss the Government's controversial decision.

Garda Representative Association president Dermot O'Donnell said: "Detective McCabe's former colleagues in Limerick share the deep hurt felt by his widow, Anne McCabe, at hearing the news of the possible release through the media."

Ann McCabe insisted again yesterday that her husband's killers were no more than "common criminals" and she criticised the Government's fresh offer of consultation with her family as "disingenuous".

Ms McCabe said she did not want the Government's sympathy, but justice for her husband, his family and the Garda Síochána. She reiterated a firm "no" to the release of the four men, who are serving between 11 and 14 years for manslaughter.

"We are a very private family and it's very unfair of the Taoiseach to land this on our laps at this time of the year, or any time of the year. Why this change in the Good Friday Agreement?" she asked, insisting the killers of her husband in 1996 was not part of the original peace deal.

Ms McCabe said the family will take a civil action against her husband's killers if they are released.

Over the weekend, Ms McCabe met with Defence Minister Willie O'Dea and she said it was most unfair that he was getting the brunt of the criticism for the Government's decision in Limerick.

The Limerick-based minister said he was in a terrible dilemma because he was friendly with the family. "It's not just political, this is personal," he said.

Tánaiste Mary Harney said she was not convinced that these IRA killers should go free and the only way she would agree to it would be if there was a total end to paramilitarism, criminality and the IRA laid down their arms.

Former Progressive Democrats leader Des O'Malley accused the Government yesterday of appeasing terrorism and intimidating Ms McCabe.

Asked if she was prepared to go back on her solemn commitment to Ms McCabe, the Tánaiste told RTÉ she was certainly not.

"But we may be within days of a settlement in the North and many people may have to do things they do not like including myself but no one has convinced me that the IRA will lay down their arms," Ms Harney told The Week in Politics.