Irish Government warns Martin McGuinness election will damage US investment

Senior minister warns of impeachment danger if Sinn Fein man elected president

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Martin McGuinness

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Hogan denied his comments were propaganda at a time when Fine Gael’s own candidate Gay Mitchell is struggling in the opinion polls.

He claimed: “This is not a case of the gloves being off or black propaganda. It is, instead, a case of facts being made clear and hard truths being said.”

The Fine Gael Minister then claimed that the election of McGuinness could damage the economic recovery programme currently being pursued by the Irish government.

“Mr McGuinness as President could lead to a series of rows that would distract both the Government and the Presidency from the critical need to act in a coherent, unified way to rebuild a shattered state,” he said.

“We cannot afford to dissipate our energies in a series of futile wars centered on using the Presidency to advance the objectives of a political party rather than the country itself.

“By electing Mr McGuinness, Ireland would be taking a dangerous chance in a scenario where we have six other choices.”

Whilst the Minister did acknowledge McGuinness’s role in the peace process, he felt this should not be a factor in the election.

“This is not the time to take the chance of putting a Sinn Fein President in the Aras. We still have not fully moved on in the manner we need to,” said Hogan.

“There is too much unfinished business surrounding Mr McGuinness. Anything from his past could blow up.

“It is entirely possible new information about the acts of Mr McGuinness could lead to a constitutional crisis where all parties, except Sinn Fein, reach a position where it is not tolerable for Mr McGuinness to represent the Irish people.

“The absence of an impeachment process within the Irish Constitution means we could be heading for an unprecedented stand-off.

“This is a matter of a fundamental philosophical conflict. We are State builders. Sinn Fein, in contrast, up to very recently, have been State wreckers.”

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