Léargas

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD set out Sinn Féin’s analysis and proposals on the GSOC/Whistleblowers/McCabe dossier scandals in a lengthy speech to the Dáil this morning. Below is an edited version of the main points and the full text of his remarks. Deputy Gerry Adams: ·         On this issue the Minister has failed miserably.   What each of these scandals has demonstrated is an unhealthy close relationship between the Minister for Justice and Equality and the Garda Commissioner.   ·         Each scandal has highlighted an inability on the Minister's behalf to properly address the serious issues which have emerged for the justice system and An Garda Síochána.   ·         This runs in marked contrast to the rhetoric from the Government about ending cronyism and the need for transparency and accountability.   ·     ...

In one part of Europe a vicious street war has led to the deaths of scores of people. The Ukraine has been convulsed by weeks of what some have described as a civil war. Efforts are currently underway to find a compromise that can bring peace. The key to these efforts is dialogue; both sides talking to each other and reaching agreement on a political way forward. At the other end of the continent an International Verification Committee has confirmed that ETA has taken the first steps toward complete disarmament. At a press conference in Bilbao on Friday the Verification Committee confirmed that in January it oversaw the putting beyond operational use of an amount of arms, explosives and ammunition by ETA. It described this as a ‘hugely important step’. I very much welcome this historic initiative by ETA. It is a major advance in the Basque peace process. In both places – the Ukraine and in the Basque country - there is a clear desire for peace. In the Ukraine, European Forei...

Bug found in car used by Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness   Bugging devices in all shapes and forms, tracking devices to monitor movement, and remote controlled surveillance cameras were all an integral part of the British government’s war in the north. Over the years they were found in the homes of republican activists, under floor boards and cabinets, attached to wooden beams in attics, and hidden in the insides of cars. In the years since the war ended the surveillance war has continued. It has become ever more sophisticated. Now according to some reports they can even bug your clothes. The information released by whistleblower Edward Snowden is evidence of the extent to which states and their agencies will go to spy on their citizens and on their allies, as well as their enemies. It’s all about information and information is power. The surveillance technology involved today reads like science fiction but it is real not imagined and very effective, and most t...