IRA murdered man, says opposition

IRA members were involved in the murder of Paul Quinn last October, Fine Gael and Labour claimed yesterday.

During a Dáil debate on the case, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said Garda and PSNI reports clearly indicated that persons “who were or are members of the Provisional IRA were responsible for this murder”.

That gave rise to the question of whether the IRA leadership had authorised the attack, he said.

“I respect the efforts made in respect of decommissioning, but the situation of plausible denial cannot be allowed to continue,” said Mr Kenny. “A person arranged for a so-called punishment beating to be carried out. People were instructed to be in situ and a young man was murdered.

“One does not use surgical gloves, balaclavas, boiler suits and iron bars unless premeditated savagery and murder are involved.”

Labour’s Liz McManus said: “I have little doubt members of the Provisional IRA carried out the attack on Paul Quinn and were responsible for his murder. I do not know if the murder was sanctioned at a higher level, but, regardless of this, the provisional movement has an obligation to face up to its responsibilities.”

The North’s deputy first minister Martin McGuinness also renewed his call for public assistance in the murder probe although he repeated his view that the IRA was not involved.

“The most important thing that can happen is for the police service north and south to apprehend the murderers and for all of us to support the police in that effort,” he said.

Justice Minister Brian Lenihan said gardaí had “no information to suggest this attack was authorised by, or carried out on behalf of, that organisation [IRA]”.

Mr Quinn, 21, was lured to a cattle shed near Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on October 20, last year.

There, he was set upon and violently beaten by up to 12 persons, and died that evening in hospital.

Mr Kenny said the case was a “litmus test” for the peace process. “If there is to be a legacy for Paul Quinn and the other 3,000 lives lost in the Troubles, the peace process cannot be made to stand over bad justice. Those involved should declare that the IRA is finally disbanded so that fear, intimidation and bullying can be removed from a swathe of the countryside,” he said.

Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, said that he had seen “no evidence” linking the crime to republicans. “The reality is that this act of murder criminalises anyone who took part in it, irrespective of what politics they hold or may have held. The perpetrators are criminal murderers and that is the bottom line. I can be no clearer than that.”

However, Mr Quinn’s parents, Stephen and Briege, who attended the Dáil debate, later said Sinn Féin was not doing enough to bring their son’s killers to justice.