Sinn Féin denies exploiting Rossport Five for political gain

SINN FÉIN has rejected claims it exploited the plight of the Rossport Five to target Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and gain political ground in the Mayo constituency in the process.

Mr Kenny, speaking on RTÉ on Sunday night, accused the party of launching an “insidious campaign” against him, adding: “It has been brought home to me that this is because of the fact that Fine Gael stood very strongly out against the secret deal done by the Government with Sinn Féin and the IRA for the release of the killers of Det Garda Gerry McCabe from Castlerea Prison.”

His accusation was supported by Education Minister Mary Hanafin, who said the issue had been “undoubtedly jumped upon by politicians for their own purposes.”