Hope for peace if IRA follows Adams - Brady

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams’ call to the IRA to drop violence for politics has brought new hope of lasting peace in Northern Ireland, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland said today.

The Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Sean Brady, who is in Rome for tomorrow’s funeral of Pope John Paul, said: “I hope the IRA will respond quickly and generously. I plead with them to do so.”

London, Dublin and Washington are expecting some sort of statement from the IRA leadership within the next 24 hours to acknowledge the Adams initiative.

But it could be weeks before there is a definitive response.

Even though some politicians on both sides of the Irish border are deeply sceptical, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern believe the move is a genuine attempt to begin a process which will clear the way for a resumption of talks in Belfast to restore the powersharing executive and get the Northern Ireland Assembly up and running again later this year.

Archbishop Brady said: “People are weary of the old ways of the past. They yearn for and they deserve so much more.

“A new and better way is possible. This is the way of exclusively political and democratic activity, the way of patient dialogue and understanding; the way of equality and integrity with shared responsibility for our common future and success.

“That common future includes a firm commitment to one agreed system of justice, government and law and order. It implies an end to all intimidation, subversive activity and violence.”

The Sinn Fein and IRA leaderships have been under intense pressure at home and abroad in the aftermath of the £26.5m (E38m) Northern Bank robbery and the murder of Robert McCartney. Nobody has been charged in connection with any of the incidents.

But a major internal debate was under way inside the republican movement today about the IRA future and if this is really the beginning of the end of an organisation which waged a 30-year campaign of bloodshed and terror.

In Washington today, Republican Congressman Peter King, one of Sinn Fein’s most powerful supporters, said he believed Mr Adams was sincere. He also understood the concerns of Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley and David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist leader.

But he added: “If the IRA does take its lead from Gerry Adams, if it does in effect turn away from all paramilitary activity, then to me everyone is a winner, including the unionist community, and it’s a great step forward.”

He told RTE: “I think when that time comes and the elections are over you will see more cooperation from David Trimble and Ian Paisley.”

Mr Adams stopped just short of urging the IRA to disband by calling for the organisation to abandon the gun and embrace politics forever.

The West Belfast MP said: “In the past I have defended the right of the IRA to engage in armed struggle.

“I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee, or turn a blind eye to oppression, or for those who wanted a national republic.

“Now there is an alternative ... the way forward is by building political support for republican and democratic objectives across Ireland and by winning support for these goals internationally.”

However, political opponents in Belfast were much more cautious, with the Democratic Unionists insisting the IRA must prove it is true to Mr Adams’ words.

The British and Irish governments acknowledged the significance of Mr Adams’ remarks but insisted it was vital there was an end to all IRA activity.

Mr Ahern said the statement had potential to move the peace process forward but would be judged against how the Provisionals responded.

The Taoiseach said: “Nothing less than a complete and decisive end to all IRA activity and capability will be acceptable if there is to be any prospect of achieving inclusive politics in Northern Ireland.”

Downing Street said: “Obviously the key will be what the IRA does as a result, and it is on that that any final judgment must be made.

“But we hope this represents the way forward for republicanism because the only way forward is through exclusively peaceful and democratic means.”