Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In launching Féile an Phobail, the community festival in west Belfast, the Taoiseach was seen as lending his authority and that of his office to the event. Nobody has any difficulty with Olly Murs or the many cultural and music events that took place. However, it is unprecedented for a Taoiseach to be involved in launching an entire programme which included events such as IRA Prisoners' Day at the Felons' Club, particularly when the Chief Constable, Mr. George Hamilton, recently referred to his concern that the IRA army council was still involved in Sinn Féin's strategy. I understand the Taoiseach received a letter from our former Oireachtas colleague and Labour Party Senator, Mairia Cahill, in which she expressed her unhappiness and hurt at the Taoiseach launching Féile, given the resolute refusal of Sinn Féin to address the issue of child abuse, including her own case which we have debated in this Chamber and on which the former Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael, Deputy Enda Kenny, took a strong line. I know that the Taoiseach has to be aware, from articles she has written, that effectively she had been groomed for sexual abuse through her participation as a child and teenager in Féile's radio station. Like many others, she was shocked by the Taoiseach's endorsement of the event, given its connection with the IRA in west Belfast. By extension, he will potentially be seen as either staying silent or, worse still, endorsing IRA violence, in respect of which we have never had an absolute apology. Will the Taoiseach consider apologising to people like Mairia Cahill and the Stack family who have also mentioned their unhappiness and concern, as well as other victims of IRA violence, for, in effect, failing when he visited Belfast for purposes we welcome, but there is a clear line to be drawn in the sand when it comes to violence perpetrated by the republican movement - the atrocities, killings and injuries.

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