Gerry Adams: I don't believe people who were involved in the IRA are criminals

The Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams says he does not believe people involved in the IRA are criminals.

Mr Adams was commenting as he refused to say whether he accepts rulings handed down by the Special Criminal Court, and he claimed judges deciding cases on their own could make mistakes.

Sinn Féin has come under criticism in recent days for continuing to describe the convicted tax evader Thomas "Slab" Murphy as a "good Republican".

This afternoon Deputy Adams said Mr Murphy continued to reject the claims, and he could not say whether the ruling was acceptable.

Mr Adams said: "Do I think that judges can't make mistakes? No I don't, I think judges can make mistakes and I think that the certainty for citizens is that we are tried by our peers.

"That is the safest process, and juries can make mistakes as well, but that is the safest process.

"I don’t believe that people who were involved in the IRA, if he was involved in the IRA, are criminals."