Sinn Féin is being pressured by other political parties in the final days of the election campaign over comments made by one of its senior figures about the murder of 21-year-old Paul Quinn almost 13 years ago.
Conor Murphy, the Sinn Féin Finance Minister, yesterday retracted and apologised for comments he made claiming that Mr Quinn had been involved in criminality and smuggling.
Breege Quinn, Mr Quinn's mother, has reiterated her call for Mr Murphy to resign but Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Mr Murphy said he will not do so.
The Quinn family have lived through a tortuous period of grief at the tragic loss & murder of their son compounded by the slur, alienated by the Republican movement. If the Quinn family say Conor Murphy should resign, he shouldn’t have time to get his coat.
— Paul Frew (@paulfrewDUP) February 5, 2020
Mr Quinn, from Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, was brutally beaten to death by up to 10 men in a barn in Co Monaghan on October 20th, 2007. His family has always held the IRA responsible.
Ms McDonald also suggested that Mr Murphy meet the Quinn family but Mrs Quinn said the Newry and Armagh MLA must first give "the names of the IRA that he spoke to in Cullyhanna" to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Both Ms McDonald and Mr Murphy said he had already met the PSNI on Mr Quinn’s murder.
“If they feel they have anything helpful to add to their inquiries, I will happily meet them at any stage,” Mr Murphy said.
Wrong to say
Ms McDonald said she was wrong to say in a number of broadcast appearances earlier this week that Mr Murphy did not make the comments linking Mr Quinn to criminality.
However, she was read a direct quote from Mr Murphy in 2007 during the RTÉ Prime Time leaders' debate earlier this week. Mr Murphy had said: "Paul Quinn was involved in smuggling and criminality. I think everyone accepts that."
Ms McDonald said this was an “honest mistake” and that her “recollection had been that the commentary was about the criminality up around the Border region and smuggling”.
Gerry Adams, the former Sinn Féin leader, made similar comments but Ms McDonald said the Quinn family had only specifically raised those made by Mr Murphy.
Regretted the comment
Mr Murphy said he very much regretted the comment, adding: “I apologise for those remarks and I unreservedly withdraw them.”
Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin said Sinn Féin isolates and smears victims.
“When people come forward to say ‘this happened to me’ a whole machine is put into operation to undermine that person’s credibility, that person’s bona fides,” he told The Irish Times.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said Sinn Féin had "demonised" victims.
Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar said Ms Quinn is entitled to "answers, truth and justice" about the murder of her son.
Separately, DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson criticised Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for displaying “something of a double standard” by insisting Northern Irish enter government with Sinn Féin in the North while ruling out a coalition with the party in the Republic.
Some political parties will begin to wrap up their campaigns today ahead of polling day on Saturday. Fine Gael has issued candidates with leaflets to be sent to voters claiming it is the only party which will keep Sinn Féin out of government.