Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I believe her. There are a number of other elements to this case but at its core there is a young woman making an allegation of rape and sexual abuse. As I have said before, all victims and survivors deserve our support in bringing the abuser to justice. The other elements include an allegation that the IRA investigated the allegation of rape. This has now morphed into accusations of a cover-up by Sinn Féin and from that into a charge that we facilitate sex abusers. I reject these charges: they are not true. Amid the tsunami of accusations, especially by the Independent group of newspapers and from the political establishment here, the alleged abuser and rapist, Maíria's uncle, seems to have been forgotten about. Amid it all, the person who is charged with abusing this woman seems to have been disappeared. There is no word about that.

In dealing with these issues, I have been attempting to deal with them as they have been presented to me. On the one hand with compassion and understanding for Maíria and on the other hand robustly and honestly defending myself and Sinn Féin. Let me say clearly, if Sinn Féin or I was at fault, I would accept and acknowledge that but the republicans who played any part in speaking to Maíria Cahill, including myself, state with conviction that our concern was for her welfare. Maíria was advised to seek counselling and to go to the RUC. She was an adult at that time and refused to go to the police. That was her right. She did go to the PSNI in 2010 and following an investigation by the PSNI and a high profile court case those accused were acquitted. The recent BBC "Spotlight" programme subsequently subverted due process in favour of trial by media of Padraic Wilson, Seamus Finucane, Briege Wright, Maura McCrory, Sue Ramsey and Jennifer McCann. These are all decent people. They are upstanding Irish citizens, like the late Siobhan O'Hanlon, Maíria's cousin, and others. They have been smeared in a despicable way. The court acquittals of four of these have either been ignored or devalued by the media and by representatives in this Chamber again today.

The recent publication of letters from Maíria Cahill to Briege Wright demonstrates very clearly that Briege only sought to help and support Maíria. In 2005, Maíria said of Briege: "You mean the world to me. You are kind, compassionate, committed and, above all, you gave me an ear when I needed it". Those are not my words but Maíria Cahill's. The recent political attacks on Jennifer McCann, MLA, an outstanding Minister who has worked tirelessly for the rights of women and children, have been a disgrace. The claim is that Sinn Féin members were involved in a cover-up because they did not disclose to the police against Maíria's wishes. She was an adult when she spoke to some of these people. Others in the media and in political parties, including the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Michael Nesbitt, have acknowledged that they knew of these allegations but respected Maíria's wishes and did not inform the police. Are these people now to be included in the definition of cover-up in the calls for inquiries?

The Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader and elements of the media have sought to liken the alleged approach of republicans to this case with that of the Catholic Church hierarchy. As I said, we have been accused of a cover-up and of moving the abuser about. No evidence whatsoever has been produced to corroborate these claims.

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