Unionists dismiss IRA arms move as PR stunt

Hardline unionists have dismissed the IRA’s latest act of decommissioning as "a stunt". Peter Robinson, deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, said:

"This has been produced by Sinn Fein purely for electoral purposes and to squeeze further concessions from the [British] Government. It will not impress anybody from the unionist community, which is still waiting to find out whether it was one or two guns decommissioned the first time. It’s an event of no significance."

Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside also poured scorn on today’s statement.

"I find the whole thing totally hypocritical when it appears the Provisional IRA have recently been up to their necks in the Castlereagh break-in," he said.

"This is a PR exercise for consumption in the Irish Republic for the forthcoming elections. It’s propaganda by day and a continuation of terrorism by night."

Despite the unionist opposition, the IRA’s move was welcomed in the Republic. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, said: "I am extremely happy that this has happened . . . and now the fact that it has happened is, I think, good for the peace process. I know this is a difficult issue for Republicans.

It’s not easy for them to make these moves and I think that makes it all the more significant that they have done so.

"Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn was more sceptical, but he accepted the importance of the gesture.

"It is designed to curry favour for SF in the Republic. That said, it is still a very welcome measure," he said.

The SDLP’s Joe Hendron also said it was a "very positive" move.