McCausland slams hunger strike commemoration
Glorification of terrorism at a GAA club in Co Tyrone is a relic of a bygone age, the Sports Minister said.
The sporting association is to investigate August’s hunger strike commemoration at Galbally.
Photos of people dressed in balaclavas carrying replica weapons were placed on the internet although Sinn Fein disputes whether they were connected to the club.
DUP minister Nelson McCausland called for a debate about the practices of some of the organisation’s constituent members.
“Many of these are no doubt products of a bygone age. They have no place however in my view in a modern 21st century sports body or in a shared and better future,” he said.
Mr McCausland told the Assembly he wanted the government to engage more on the issue and has written to the Community Relations Council and Sport Northern Ireland about it.
Specifying what activities are allowed could be among the measures proposed.
UUP Deputy leader Danny Kennedy put the motion asking the minister to ensure no sports club which facilitates glorification of terrorism receives financial support from his department.
“To celebrate the culture and ideology of violence that wreaked havoc in our society right from the late 1960s encourages the young people of 2009 to again embrace violence and again bring pain and suffering to our society,” he said.
“There are question marks lurking in the background about the GAA’s receipt of public money and how it relates to some of the overtly political rules of its constitution,” he added.
West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA Barry McElduff said there should not be discrimination by highlighting one sport over the other.
“The UUP motion smacks of the old-style desire to show who is boss.
“Sinn Fein will not tolerate discrimination on this matter or any matter.”
North Down Alliance MLA Stephen Farry defended the right of free speech but added that he condemned terrorism.
