Raid claim ‘deeply damaging’

NORTHERN Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy said yesterday that Hugh Orde’s claim of IRA involvement in the Northern Bank raid virtually destroyed any chance of a political agreement before the next general election.

“I think it is unlikely that we will be able to get a resolution along the lines of what we agreed back before Christmas. I do not think that is realistic between now and the election.”

But he went on: “I do not think it is the end of the process, I don’t think for one second that is the case. We have gone too far down the line for that.”