Campbell Calls For RoI Apology In Relation To Role In Republic Terrorism

Gregory Campbell has led a call in the Northern Ireland Assembly for an apology from the Irish Government in relation to the Irish State's role in republican terrorism.

The DUP representative highlighted the Irish Government’s role in the formation and arming of the IRA. Commenting Mr Campbell said: "There is an obvious focus in Northern Ireland as to how we deal with the past, and the violence which occurred over several decades. For republicans this entails a purely selective approach where the only actions which should be scrutinised are those of Crown forces acting in Northern Ireland.

"No one is suggesting that the Irish Government should apologise for the actions of the IRA, but for their own actions in assisting the birth of the monster which took over thirty years to defeat and disarm. When a state helps establish a terrorist organisation then it is up to the Government to apologise for their actions.

"There can be no doubt that the late 1960s were a particularly turbulent time in Northern Ireland’s history but it is clear that the Irish Government was engaged in a strategy of splitting the then Official IRA and arming the newly formed Provisional IRA. The memo from the Irish Justice Department of March 18th 1969, some five months before violence broke out in Londonderry in August of that year, demonstrates that plans were already underway with in the Irish Government to form the Provisional IRA:

"In different parts of the country units of the IRA (and Sinn Fein) are uneasy about the new left-wing policy of their leadership and about the violent methods that are being adopted in the destruction of private property. Their uneasiness needs to be brought to the surface in some way with a consequent fragmentation of the organisation. It is suggested by the Department of Justice that the government should promote an active political campaign in that regard."

(CD)