Bruton joins pre-election attacks on Sinn Féin

FORMER Taoiseach John Bruton last night joined the pre-election attacks on Sinn Féin by claiming its alleged military wing was responsible for more deaths than the Mafia.

In possibly the strongest attack yet on the party, Mr Bruton said the very existence of the IRA was an affront to the authority of the State.

“We have seen how the Mafia ate away at the heart of Italian democracy, until a few brave magistrates took them on. The IRA is a Mafia. It works in secret, is accountable to no one, and uses violence. The only difference is that the Mafia killed proportionately far less people than did the IRA,” said Mr Bruton.