A government Minister and a Fine Gael deputy have attacked Martin McGuinness’s planned handshake with the Queen Elizabeth as little more than a publicity stunt.
Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister is due to shake the Queen’s hand in a private meeting in Belfast this week during her Jubilee celebration visit.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams announced on Sunday that his party have no issue with releasing a photo of the handshake.
But Irish government minister Brian Hayes and his Fine Gael parliamentary party colleague Simon Harris have attacked the planned meeting between the Republican politician and English monarch.
Hayes accused Sinn Fein of engaging in a ‘cheap little media game’ and ‘hyping a very minor’ event, according to the Sunday Independent newspaper.
He said: “We all know Sinn Fein has been playing a cheap little media game on this issue.
“Sinn Fein showed bad judgement by not attending a State dinner for the Queen at Dublin Castle during her successful visit to Ireland in May last year.”
Hayes also hit out at Irish state broadcaster RTE. He said: they are dancing to Sinn Fein’s tune by giving such prominence to a so-called historic handshake.
“The idea that the former hard man of the IRA is having a fit of the vapours over meeting the Queen is rather pathetic. It’s all about Sinn Fein milking headlines.
“The question for RTE is this: why are you dancing to Sinn Fein’s tune?”
Wicklow deputy Harris added: “Whilst the Sinn Fein spin machine goes into overdrive trying to over-hype a photograph, they have yet to answer many legitimate questions which the Irish people expect answers to, both in terms of how they use public funds in relation to hiring of staff, and also the many outstanding questions that citizens of our country put to Martin McGuinness during his failed presidential bid.”
Harris continued: “I think it is astonishing the disproportionate amount of coverage that Sinn Fein are receiving for engaging in a civilised act which is years overdue.
“It is clear that they are now a partitionist party in a very real way; protesting against the Queen’s visit to the Republic whilst happily greeting her in Northern Ireland.
“Yet again with Sinn Fein it’s one policy in the North and the complete opposite in the South. Such hypocrisy would not be tolerated from any other political party.
“By all means, let Martin McGuinness shake the Queen’s hand and as a result run to catch up with the rest of Irish society - but can we please then get back to real politics?”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.allan07 | Jul 03, 2012, 02:27 PM EDT
@seanomelb i am glad our queen wore gloves as the smell of semtex would have been hard to get rid of. I admit the later semtex had no smell but the older stuff martin used would have reefed. Hes the son of Osama Bin Laden. If he had carried out the same in many countries (USA) he would have been receiving the electric chair after a little water boarding. They will never be peace as long as he and supporters like @seanomel are alive and breathing. Your a proper W**KER @seanomel.
Bythebay | Jun 30, 2012, 09:49 AM EDT
McGuinness is shaking the hand of his Queen. Nothing of much note there. Since he's doing nothing else he's desperate for media coverage of the handshake since there's nothing else for him to get media coverage of.
Carrollclan | Jun 27, 2012, 01:11 PM EDT
I can believe you all will fall for this crap England is still trying to control us the Americans kick there ass and show the way keep fighting until we are free.
merefalow | Jun 26, 2012, 08:30 PM EDT
with people like him no wonder Ireland ended up in a mess.its better to shake hands.the origin of a hand shake is to show there is no weapon.long may that continue,surely no one wishes a return to the days of fear,bloody murder,bombings shootings,internment,as long as there is justice and equal opportunity?give peace a chance.
ciaradexy | Jun 26, 2012, 08:08 AM EDT
mcdolan, the people you are talking about are not Irish. They are American. The average person on the street in Ireland are glad that finally people will grow up and move on.
seanomelb | Jun 25, 2012, 07:08 PM EDT
What a sad lot of naysayers Betsy will do her duty as she is told to by the P.M. and Martin will shake her blood soaked hand.
barneyjo | Jun 25, 2012, 05:53 PM EDT
@FallsRNat: the outcome of the next Irish election will be a lot more interesting after this dont you think??
FallsRNat | Jun 25, 2012, 05:19 PM EDT
It is a publicity stunt, they totally misjudged the Queen's visit to Ireland, thinking that there would be mass demos against her visit, the Irish people are better than that, they repaid her visit with a warmth that augers well for the British Isles peoples whether they live in Eng, Sco, Wal, Uls or SI. SF are pushing the hanshake as some sort of recognition of their insideous little war, when in fact she has shaken so many hands of dictators, also 1 who sits in the Ulster govt & takes her queen's shilling, the people of ireland, North & South are not fooled by this play acting
Bythebay | Jun 25, 2012, 01:56 PM EDT
That's NOT what the Minister said. He said McGuinness was making much ado about nothing to get media attention. He DIDN'T say McGuinness shouldn't meet the Queen. McGuinness' hype has been going on for months about a non-issue. Sinn Fein is being investigated in Ireland for misuse of expenses money and may have to repay 500,000 Euro to the Treasury.
timbobdennehy | Jun 25, 2012, 09:48 AM EDT
too true wounded knee.
IrelandNorth | Jun 25, 2012, 06:42 AM EDT
Messrs. Hayes & Harris are political featherweight trying to be somebodies by stealing the thunder of political heavyweights. There's also an intergenerational incestuous/canabalistic dynamic. Hayes was in nappies (diapers) being fed milupa when Adams/McGuinness were protecting their respective communities against sectarian violence/state terrorism during the Troubles. Sadly, like most other 30-somethings, they're largely historically illiterate due to a revisionist education and a designer propagandistic press/media. Fine Gael (FG) @ 26% are running scared of Sinn Fein (SF) @ 32%. Hell hath no fury like a partitionist party scorned!
mcdolan | Jun 25, 2012, 02:58 AM EDT
Begrudgers are still alive and well in Ireland. Media hype or not, of course Martin McGuinness will shake the Queen's hand and I dare say a collective sign of relief will be felt that the days of animosity and insult to our nearest neighbour are behind us, get on with it. And WoundedKnee - you are spot on!
citizen69 | Jun 25, 2012, 01:42 AM EDT
As i mentioned in a post a few days ago, this doesn't seem to be a major event with people from Northern Ireland. We're almost 15 years into a peace agreement, people aren't that bothered, it's no surprise, it's long overdue. I believe it's aimed more at the electorate in the Republic. They misjudged the mood of the nation by refusing to greet the Queen last year and now there using this to hype up some media attention and of course the 24 hour news media will be just to eager to oblidge. If there is one thing Sinn Fein are very good at it's propaganda.
sirpeter | Jun 24, 2012, 10:12 PM EDT
These kind of attacks on Sinn Fein are getting old and the Irish electorate are starting to get annoyed at them.
pilib04 | Jun 24, 2012, 09:45 PM EDT
The Blue Shirts can say whatever they wish. No one is listening to their hate speech.
rpannier | Jun 24, 2012, 08:26 PM EDT
Sounds like someone needs to buy Hayes and Harris a set of faux pearls to go with their faux outrage. Their staggering ineptitude at running Irish Government is biting them hard and they're looking for anything to divert attention.
seanomelb | Jun 24, 2012, 07:17 PM EDT
The west Brit attack dogs of Fine Gael and their crocodile tears is amusing.The same morons would attack McGuinness if he refused to shake hands with Betsy. Sinn Fein are riding high in the polls and that is their major angst. Maybe I'll send a carton of red white and blue tissues to Leinster house ,One each for the west Brit German groveling Harris and Hayes(tweedle dumb and tweedle dumber)
rugbyplayer | Jun 24, 2012, 12:34 PM EDT
Kudos for Martin McGuinness for his soon-to-be congratulatory meeting with Queen Elizabeth II when she visits Northern Ireland. I am sure McGuinness will be one of dozens of politicians who will congratulate the Queen on her sixtieth year reign. The McGuinness scoffers in the Republic make it sound as if McGuinness and the Queen are holding a personal summit meeting. McGuinness and other politicians from North and South are doing the correct thing in congratulating a truly great woman.
WoundedKnee | Jun 24, 2012, 11:34 AM EDT
It's funny how the Irish government can whistle up lots of snarling attack dogs to be set on guys like McGuinness, but can only round up whining poodles and lap dogs when trying to negotiate with the EU and save their country from ruin.
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT
It seems that Hayes, the FG representative, is wary of Sinn Fein's impressive showing in recent opinion polls taken in the Republic of Ireland, and has now decided to fire this broadside against Martin McGuinness. Of course, there may be some political opportunism behind the upcoming meeting with the British queen, but it is also a sign of a more pragmatic approach to nation-building as Sinn Fein view it.
Gearoid4 | Jun 24, 2012, 10:58 AM EDT
It see that Hayes, the FG representative is wary of Sinn Fein's impressive showing in recent opinion polls taken in the Republic of Ireland, and has now decided to fire this broadside against Martin McGuinness. Of course, there may be some political opportunism behind the upcoming meeting with the British queen, but it is also a sign of a more pragmatic approach to nation-building as Sinn Fein view it.
barneyjo | Jun 24, 2012, 10:46 AM EDT
It remains to be seen how this plays with the Irish Middle Class voters in advance of the next election, and just how strong the whiff of cordite remains. If I were a strategist in any of the parties (FF,FG,LAB) I would be more than a little concerned about how this will play with the aforementioned voters. The major problem of course is that this time, negative politics may not be enough to blunt what will undoubtedly be a major Sinn Fein drive for seats in the Dail given the present levels of disaffection with the political classes that exist. What will happen in a scenario that Sinn Fein get 20 seats for example, which is not impossible based on present polls?
Seanmor | Jun 24, 2012, 10:05 AM EDT
Partitionist politicians of all parties in the Dáil will always be opposed to Sinn Féin's campaihn for full sovereignty of whole Irish nation and the preservation of what's left of the native culture. Maguinness in acting diplomatically and responsibility by shaking hands with the queen from across the water as Deputy First Minikster of the Six-County state. Would Brian Hayes and Simon Harris prfer if McGuinness snubbed the foreign queen and incurred the wrath of Northern Unionists? This is a case od 'damned if I do and damned in I don't for McGuinness - and all Sinn Féin office holders in the Dáil, Stormont, Westminister and the E.U.
Rebelforce | Jun 24, 2012, 09:59 AM EDT
Leave it to West Brit Quislings like Simon Harris and Brian Hayes to find any excuse to attack an Irishman. If Joint First Minister Martin McGuiness decided NOT to shake hands with the queen of England they'd have a proper hissy fit over it. Now that Mr McGuiness has agreed to shake her hand, they criticize that too. Let's face it, Fine Gael just doesn't like strong, unapologetic Irish Nationalists.
bogsidebunny | Jun 24, 2012, 09:29 AM EDT
The country's falling apart, it's practically broke, Bogus asylum seekers are dealing in drugs, prostitution and violent crime and the Irish (typically) are ignoring the real and present danger and are having heated arguements about two people shaking hands. It's an insane asylum. (OOP's Political Correctness has banished that term. Now the nut houses are officially called: Mental health facilities) The entire country is bonkers. It's a mind-blowing culture!
WoundedKnee | Jun 24, 2012, 08:26 AM EDT
I'm not a Sinn Fein supporter, but I won't take this guy Hayes seriously as long as he and his buddies in Fine Gael are selling out Ireland's interests to the European Union. Just what is the function of a "Government Minister" in Ireland anyway? All they are is tax collectors for the European Union--they enact no independent legislation of any consequence.