Past violence must never happen again

Matt Cooper (Opinion, Feb 1) asserts that I have been silent on the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe for 17 years and that I was forced into my statement in the Dáil.

Neither of these assertions is true. I have not been silent on Garda McCabe’s killing. I have apologised to the McCabe and O’Sullivan families on previous occasions, and expressed my deep regret at their loss and hurt.

In the context of the murder of Garda Donohoe, and mindful that the last garda to die was Garda McCabe, I took the view that it was right to apologise again in the Dáil on my own behalf and that of Sinn Féin.

And while Republicans were not involved in the killing of Adrian Donohoe I tried, in a thoughtful and meaningful way, to address the fact that republicans had killed other gardaí and Defence Forces in the course of the conflict and to apologise for this.

All these families, like so many others who were bereaved as a consequence of the conflict in the North, have also suffered great pain and loss.

The peace process has brought about great change but historical divisions remain and healing past wounds will be a huge challenge. Sinn Féin has played a key role in the peace process. We are committed to building on the progress that has occurred.

Our focus is on ensuring that the violence of recent decades and of past centuries never occurs again. As part of this there must also be a process of reconciliation which deals with legacy matters.

This will require more than Sinn Féin. It needs the Irish and British governments and the unionist parties to face up to deeply emotive issues.

None of these matters will be resolved overnight. But they can be brought to a conclusion through a genuine process of inclusive dialogue, conciliation and equality.

But this is not just a matter for people in the North. There is a particular responsibility also on leaders in this state, in the Government and in Fianna Fáil, as well as in the media to deal with legacy issues directly affecting citizens in this state in a way which takes us all beyond invective.

Gerry Adams TD

Teach Laighean

Sráid Chill Dara

Baile Átha Cliath 2