Adams hits out at IRA ‘smear’
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has hit out at a Fianna Fáil “smear campaign”, following claims that he needs to come clean on his alleged IRA past.
The former West Belfast MP, who is now running for a Dáil seat in Co Louth, has always denied involvement in the paramilitary organisation.
But leader of Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin has called into question Mr Adam’s “credibility” over the issue.
“There is a fundamental problem for Gerry when he continues to deny his membership of the IRA,” said Mr Martin.
“Because every time he talks in this debate during the election about honesty, about being up front and transparent, it jars very much with his own position about the past.
“Martin McGuinness doesn’t have a problem admitting his membership in the past but I think there is a huge problem for Gerry Adams in a credibility sense.”
The latest opinion polls revealed on Tuesday night that the two parties are neck and neck in the race for third place in this month’s general election.
Mr Adams hit back at his counterpart’s claims as a “smear”, adding that Sinn Féin are offering the people of the Republic a “real solution”.
“Micheál Martin is engaging in a smear campaign against myself and Sinn Féin in an effort to mask the fact that Fianna Fáil offers no real solutions and no real proposals to kick-start the economy, sort out the banks and get people working,” he said.
“Fianna Fáil wrecked the economy and has no real solutions to the mess they created. Sinn Féin is offering solutions.”
