Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I move amendment No. 1:

In the last paragraph, after "police" to insert "or, for those who do not support or trust the PSNI, to bring forward any information they may have to the family, a solicitor or any other authoritative or reputable person or body,"

On my own behalf and on behalf of my fellow Sinn Féin Deputies, I extend deepest sympathy to the McCartney family. The brutal murder of Robert devastated a family and shocked a local community deeply. I met the McCartney family and Robert's partner in Leinster House last week and I salute their courage and determination to achieve truth and justice.

As the Sinn Féin leadership locally and nationally has done many times, I reiterate the call for anyone with information on this murder and the circumstances surrounding it to come forward with that information and actively to assist the family. I wish to put on record some of what Sinn Féin President, Mr. Gerry Adams, said today:

My clear intention . . . was to encourage those who have information to make that information available so that whoever is responsible for the killing of Robert McCartney is brought to justice. I note that this has not happened. And although many people have come forward — others have not, particularly some who may have been directly involved in Robert's murder. In my view these people must give a full account through whatever conduit they choose.

I want also to restate with absolute clarity that whoever killed Robert McCartney should come forward and take responsibility for this. That is what I meant when I said that if I was involved I would make myself accountable to the courts. So far Robert McCartney's killer has not had the courage to do this. Self-preservation and selfishness will not prevail in this case. I am not letting this issue go until those who have sullied the republican cause are made to account for their action.

Given that we wish to see truth and justice for the McCartney family, we should not close any avenue through which information or evidence can be brought to light. Sinn Féin has not sought to close any avenue. People have gone to the PSNI and no doubt others will do so. That is their right and nobody should stand in their way. There are others who do not trust or support the PSNI, not because of what Sinn Féin says but because of their experiences and that of their communities at the hands of the Northern state. For those people, there are other avenues which can and must be used if they have relevant information.

This fact has been pointed out by the McCartney family who have said that those with valid reasons for not going to the PSNI should go to a solicitor, the Police Ombudsman or whoever with whom they are comfortable. Mr. Hugh Orde said today he would encourage people to go through a third party if they did not feel confident about going to the PSNI directly. He compared it to his experiences in London where "some communities who did not trust us" would go through third parties.

The PSNI also recognised this reality when it began the re-investigation of the loyalist killing of Seán Brown in Bellaghy, County Derry. It issued an appeal which encouraged people to use a named firm of solicitors or the Pat Finucane Centre to bring forward information as an alternative to dealing directly with the PSNI. Deputy Kenny's efforts last evening to portray this otherwise merits only contempt. I note that this evening it has been announced that the Police Ombudsman will take statements on the murder of Robert McCartney.

Sinn Féin supports the thrust of the Fine Gael motion. We do not wish to delete a word of it. However, in failing to recognise a reality that even the PSNI concedes, the final paragraph restricts the means by which information may be given to help bring the killers to justice. For this reason, Sinn Féin asked Fine Gael to accept its amendment which does not detract from but adds to the motion before us. Its refusal is most regrettable.

Time does not allow me to respond to the stream of party political invective against Sinn Féin last night and tonight. The refusal of the Fine Gael Party to accept a reasonable proposition, and its contributions and those of other Members of the House, shows what can only be called a cynical exploitation of this serious issue for the narrowest of political motives.

Misinformation has been flung around the Chamber, not least by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Last night he stated: "The only information that will help put the killers of Robert McCartney behind bars is information given directly to the PSNI which will lead to statements that can be used as evidence in a court of law." The Minister had to alter his emphatic position when the PSNI itself recognised that there were other ways to bring forward information. The Minister who, like so many others, was blinded by his deep rooted antipathy towards Sinn Féin was obliged to do a complete U-turn today and face reality when he said people could use other avenues as well.

The logic of that U-turn and of all the information before the House is that every Deputy who truly wants to see justice served in this deplorable case should accept and support the amendment put forward by the Sinn Féin Deputies. If this essential amendment is defeated, we must, regrettably, withhold our endorsement of the motion, only because it is too narrow in its construction.

Make no mistake, we are not interested in engaging in a party political battle on this issue. Some may be satisfied with a headline tomorrow such as "Sinn Féin isolated" as an outcome of this debate. However, I believe the majority of people are interested in truth and justice for the bereaved and that is what Sinn Féin will continue to pursue.

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