Adams: Trimble comments insulting and gratuitous

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has described UUP leader David Trimble's comments about the Republic of Ireland as gratuitous and insulting.

Speaking in Chicago, Mr Trimble said that the only things keeping the Irish State together are Catholicism and anti-Britishness.

"Obviously his remarks were gratuitous and unnecessary," Mr Adams said, "but that's the nature of the man."

"He would be better, rather than travelling to Chicago and making insulting remarks, staying here and trying to work this out with the rest of us."