Ferris: Government vilifying Sinn Féin

SINN FÉIN TD Martin Ferris yesterday accused the Government of demonising his party as he says they are afraid of the gains the party will make in the upcoming local elections.

But a former adviser to three Taoisigh on Northern Ireland said incidents such as the abduction of Bobby Tohill, that sparked a wave of attacks on Sinn Féin, should not be happening.

Senator Martin Mansergh said it made it difficult to have rational dialogue while these events were going on.

Refuting Gerry Adams's claim that he was never a member of the IRA, Senator Mansergh said one could consult any authority to confirm the Sinn Féin president's past.

"His position as leader of the Republican movement would be inconceivable without that background.

"I assume the denial is for some kind of legal reason.

"It doesn't help the credibility of the Republican movement when you have denials of things that everyone else believes to be true," he said.

But as the fallout from the Belfast abduction cast a shadow over the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Dublin, Deputy Ferris claimed the attacks had more to do with the number of seats his party will win on June 11.

"The Taoiseach and Justice Minister Michael McDowell are out to dampen the growth of Sinn Féin - this is just pure electioneering," Mr Ferris said.

The Kerry North TD, who is a convicted gun runner, said he did not believe the Provisional IRA were behind the abduction last weekend.

"What the PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde said was unfounded," Mr Ferris said.

The theme of fighting back against accusations continued when the Ard Fheis began last night.

Sinn Féin Dublin European election candidate Mary Lou McDonald said history was repeating itself as 10 years ago the same denunciations dominating the headlines this week were also taking place.

"Those attacks, while mainly focused on Sinn Féin, also took in any individual, organisation or community that dared to have anything to do with Sinn Féin or Irish Republicanism."