Republicans ‘like Church’ in dealing with abuse: Martin

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin has attacked the republican movement by comparing it to the Catholic Church for trying to deal with cases of sexual abuse internally rather than alert the authorities.

Speaking after the sentencing of Liam Adams, brother of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, for the rape of his own daughter, Mr Martin said the length of time it took the republican movement to report the abuse to the authorities was “not tenable and not acceptable” and claimed the movement saw its own institution as more important than individual victims.

He claimed information he had “picked up” indicated this may have been a broader trend in the republican movement.