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Irish parliament suspended after Enda Kenny and Gerry Adams row over IRA disappeared Jean McConville

Government leader calls for “truth” -- met by repeated objections from Sinn Fein leader

By
DARA KELLY,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 8:29 AM
Updated Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 8:32 AM

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Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and the leader of Ireland's Government Enda Kenny
Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams and the leader of Ireland's Government Enda Kenny
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The Irish parliament was suspended for a period on Tuesday after a row erupted between the Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, over the disappearance of Jean McConville.

The Sinn Fein President criticized the Fine Gael and Labour Parties over the harsh nature of Ireland’s Budget 2013’s details, on Tuesday afternoon.

Kenny responded by saying he wished he could get some exact details on Adams’ past. The leader of the Irish government said it is time that Adams told the truth about his past. He specifically mentioned the mother of ten, Jean McConville, who was murdered by the IRA.

Kenny said, “I would love to hear you speak the truth about some elements of your past.

“You might some day tell the truth about the tragedy and the remorse and about the compassion that should have been shown for Jean McConville. Maybe you might do that, Deputy Adams.”

Furious, Adams requested that Kenny withdraw his remark. He refused.

Adams said a charge had been made by Kenny and it was up to Ceann Comhairle (Speaker / Chairman) Sean Barrett to defend his right to ask questions of the Taoiseach.

He added, “I want the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) to withdraw that remark.”

Barrett said he could not force anybody to withdraw a charge. The chairman then suspended the house for ten minutes.

Adams protested once more when the parliament resumed.

Read more on Jean McConville’s case here

Although he has been repeatedly asked to make a statement to the Irish parliament about the McConville case, Adams has forcefully rejected any suggestion that he played a part in her murder.

Earlier this year, former IRA bomber Dolours Price said that Adams had ordered her to ferry captives, including McConville, across the Irish border to be murdered.

McConville’s case was the most famous of the IRA “Disappeared” cases in Ireland. These are victims of the IRA whose bodies were found in the Republic of Ireland.

Read more: CBS interview with Gerry Adams accuser sought by Northern Ireland police

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13 Comments

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seamus60 | Dec 14, 2012, 07:51 AM EST
Thomas84. Left wing republicans in the 26 will waste no time in becoming right wing republicans as soon as in power. Look North for the proof.

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Thomas84 | Dec 14, 2012, 05:28 AM EST
Enda Kenny is an agent of the european union and mandates their future for Ireland. Anyone who is accepting to that notion is either not Irish or is a traitor to her. So you all keep rolling your little ball of hate about left wing republicans but keep in mind that if this country doesnt go through some serious changes soon you might have to back those words up out on the street.

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Stiofain | Dec 13, 2012, 07:37 PM EST
If you can't answer a question change the subject.

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seamus60 | Dec 13, 2012, 07:06 PM EST
Anglo. His back was to the wall and this was his usual response. He couldn`t even hit Adams with the reality that his party is doing the same in the North

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anglo-norman | Dec 12, 2012, 10:46 PM EST
Fair play to Kenny on this one

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aloistmartin | Dec 12, 2012, 06:46 PM EST
Kenny sounds More and More like a Parliamentarian everyday ! Can’t wait to see him marching Up and Down the High Road in his Sectarian Bourgeois, Kilt: Banging on his Drum about Terrorists, Socialists, and Revolutionaries ~

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Seanmor | Dec 12, 2012, 05:55 PM EST
This article remibnds me of an other incident that occurred in the Dáil on 22 October, 1971. During a debate on the North that day, Stormount Republican Labour M.P Paddy Kennedy attempted to speak "As an elected representative from Belfast, may I represent my people may I represnt my people? May I have the right to speak?". But he was rudely ejected on orders from the Leas Ceann Comhairle. This was about 3½ months before Derry's Bloody Sunday. Had Paddy Kennedy been heard by Dáil T.D.s that day, he may have set a peace process in motion and saved thousands of lives.

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seamus60 | Dec 12, 2012, 05:45 PM EST
Adams and Mc Guinness under surveillance for 30 years never even arrested on the word of several supergrass`s whilst the IRA in Derry and Belfast was all but wiped out by the same. Kenny the scoundral is dangling the troubles as a source of deflection only because he can`t bring up the fact that Gerrys party are doing exactly the same to the people in the North as 2 wrongs don`t make a right. Sf failed to use their veto on the new social welfare reform by means of cross community vote, with Alex Maskey saying they weren`t in politics to ride rough shot over other partys wish`s. Yet seen fit to use the same veto weeks later on a pension reform. Just as well the political setup in the North doesn`t cater for such things as no confidence votes.

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seamus60 | Dec 12, 2012, 05:31 PM EST
As much as anyone likes to admit it, there are many things they have on each other and as agreed can not speak of. The agreement being made before Jean Mc Conville was part of it. Shall we disbelieve everyone else ? people with the Republican credentials like the late Brendan Hughs. How many lies have the Dark or other relevant Republicans been caught out on. Where as Gerry has left a trail of lies, so long he can`t remember the half of them.

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olovely | Dec 12, 2012, 01:43 PM EST
Kenny's dangling the Troubles again to take our eyes off the fact that the government is telling us that they didn't pay the Promissory Note last March, but they did – they got a loan from NAMA, and they paid it. Sorry Taoiseach, we're not distracted by the puppet show.

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thetint | Dec 12, 2012, 12:31 PM EST
Enda Kenny persists with these lies but offers no proof. Adams – under surveillance by the security services in both states for 30 years – has never been arrested or even questioned about this matter. Why does not Enda go to the police with the evidence he has?

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Seanmor | Dec 12, 2012, 11:46 AM EST
The chamber temporarily suspended by Ceann Comhairle Barrett is NOT the Irish Parliament, merely the Dáil of the Southedrn Irish state. The murder of Jean MCConville, mother of 8, in Dec. of '72 was a major atrocity. Dolores Price, now a foe of Adams, claims that he gave the order that Jean be put to death. Does Taoiseach Kenny have info to justify his suspicion of Adams' involvement. Is Kenny's concern for the McConville family sincere, or he is merely using it as an excuse for blaming Adams for opposing his budget? The Taioseach probably knows of Joan Connelly, mother of 9, who was shot dead in Ballymurphy by British soldiers on the 2nd weekend of August, 1971. But he doesn't show any concern about her murder.

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seamus60 | Dec 12, 2012, 09:42 AM EST
It looks like Jean isn`t going anywheresoon. One of Gerrys decisions that won`t go away.

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