Alan Shatter says Sinn Fein not fit to govern

Sinn Féin has been accused of being “unfit for government” after Gerry Adams controversially claimed the Special Criminal Court has breached Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy’s human rights and should be scrapped.

Ex-justice minister Alan Shatter hit out at Sinn Féin after its party leader broke his silence on the issue to heavily criticise Ireland’s judicial system over its treatment of the well-known border area republican.

Last week, 66-year-old Mr Murphy of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, was convicted of tax evasion between 1996 and 2004 by the non-jury Special Criminal Court — a verdict that could see him jailed for five years when he is sentenced on February 12. He was initially charged in 2008 before taking an unsuccessful Supreme Court challenge against the Director of Public Prosecutions’ decision to hear the case in the Special Criminal Court to prevent risk to would-be jurors.

Revenue and the Criminal Assets Bureau are now likely to hand him a €5m tax demand in the coming weeks.

In a statement yesterday morning, after days of criticism from Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Joan Burton and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin over his failure to condemn Mr Murphy, Mr Adams said his colleague, who he previously described as a “good republican”, has done nothing wrong. “Sinn Féin is absolutely opposed to the existence and operation of the non-jury special criminal court,” he said.

“Year on year, the United Nations Human Rights Committee has called on this State to address the issue of the Special Criminal Court ... [and] ... it is also a necessity of the Irish Government’s obligations under the Good Friday agreement. There is no place for special courts or draconian legislation such as the Offences Against the State Act in a modern, democratic society.

“It is truly extraordinary that a case regarding a failure to complete tax returns would be heard at the Special Criminal Court. This is in breach of Tom Murphy’s rights,” Mr Adams added.

Ex-justice minister Alan Shatter said if this is really Sinn Féin’s position then the party is “unfit for government” as it wants to “abolish the court” and “give impunity to terrorists”.

Mr Adams’ decision not to condemn Mr Murphy’s actions has been used by rival parties in recent days to highlight the links between the party and ongoing republican activity on the border.