Sinn Féin leaders to discuss spy scandal
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and his national executive will gather in Dublin today for the first time since one of their colleagues was exposed as a British agent.
Although their meeting is expected to focus on efforts to revive devolution in the North, the revelation three weeks ago that Sinn Féin’s former head of administration Denis Donaldson was a British spy will also figure.
Speculation has been mounting in Belfast in recent weeks that other republicans may be exposed as spies, but Sinn Féin sources have dismissed the claims.
“People were obviously disappointed and a little shocked to learn Denis was a spy,” a party source said.
“I don’t think republicans are that surprised that elements are trying to further destabilise us on the back of Denis’s confession with talk about other spies. There comes a point, however, with events like this where you just get on with things.
“Our focus is on getting the political process moving again but it will also require the British government to face up to those elements within their own security apparatus who are prepared to do anything to destabilise the process.”
The North's political institutions have been suspended since October 2002 when allegations about a republican spy ring at Stormont threatened to permanently destroy them.
Denis Donaldson, his son-in-law Ciaran Kearney and civil servant William Mackessy were arrested and accused of operating the intelligence gathering operation.
However last month the case against the three men dramatically collapsed in Belfast Crown Court when the Public Prosecution Service said it was no longer in the public interest to pursue it.
In a further dramatic twist, Sinn Féin expelled Denis Donaldson one week later after he was warned by his security force handlers that his cover was about to be blown.
Mr Donaldson confessed his role to party officials and later appeared on television reading from a prepared statement admitting he was a spy. He has since gone into hiding.
The spying revelations emerged as the British and Irish governments waited for a report later this month from the ceasefire watchdog, the Independent Monitoring Commission on IRA and other paramilitary activity.
Following the IRA's declaration last July that it had ended its armed campaign and the completion of its disarmament programme, officials are hoping for a positive IMC report confirming they are remaining true to their word.
They believe that could provide a springboard for talks leading to the return of the Assembly.
However the North’s largest party, the Democratic Unionists have insisted they cannot contemplate reviving power-sharing without progress on a list of confidence-building measures for their community.
Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness today urged the DUP not to squander recent IRA efforts to revive devolution.
He said: “The IRA have dealt decisively with any unionist concerns about their intentions. The issue of IRA arms has been resolved. What we now need to see is the two governments pushing the process forward and the DUP accepting their political responsibilities to deliver for the people who elect them.”
Speculation has been mounting in recent days that Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair may travel to the city on the back of the IMC report in a bid to inject fresh momentum into the political process.
British government sources said the idea of a visit before March has been considered but there were no definite plans.
