This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-30020482

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Maíria Cahill: Irish parliament debates allegations Gerry Adams 'led inquiry' into victims of republican sex abuse
(35 minutes later)
The Irish parliament (Dáil) is debating allegations of sexual abuse by members of the republican movement arising from the Maíria Cahill case. Gerry Adams presided over an investigation that identified more than 100 victims of sexual and physical abuse, the Irish parliament has heard.
The debate involves statements from the leaders of all the major political parties, including Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. The claim was made in the Irish parliament (Dáil), which is debating allegations of sexual abuse by members of the republican movement.
Maíria Cahill claimed she was raped as a teenager by a suspected IRA member and later interrogated by the IRA. It was tabled to deal with allegations arising from the Maíria Cahill case.
Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny said her claims were "chilling". Mr Adams, the Sinn Féin president, said anecdotal evidence suggested some sex abusers went to Britain.
The Dáil is currently hearing statements from members on the allegations and alleged movement of abusers from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland. Ms Cahill, from Belfast, told the BBC's Spotlight programme last month that she had been raped by an alleged IRA member in 1997, when she was 16.
Mr Kenny said Ms Cahill's allegations were "sincere and dignified". She further claimed that the IRA had subjected her to an internal inquiry in 1999 that culminated in her being forced to face her alleged abuser.
The man she accused, Martin Morris, has consistently denied her claims and was acquitted of all charges.
The Dáil has been hearing statements about the allegations and alleged movement of abusers from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland.
Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny said Ms Cahill's claims were "chilling".
He said "instead of manning up" and doing what real men would have done, which would have been to comfort her, the IRA did the "polar opposite and objectified and humiliated her all over again with their kangaroo court."He said "instead of manning up" and doing what real men would have done, which would have been to comfort her, the IRA did the "polar opposite and objectified and humiliated her all over again with their kangaroo court."
"They inflicted on her an extravagant cruelty," he said."They inflicted on her an extravagant cruelty," he said.
Ms Cahill has been watching the proceedings from the public gallery.Ms Cahill has been watching the proceedings from the public gallery.
Mr Kenny said that in the case of Ms Cahill, Sinn Féin and the IRA "put the institution first" and covered up the abuse so the "untouchables would remain untouchable".Mr Kenny said that in the case of Ms Cahill, Sinn Féin and the IRA "put the institution first" and covered up the abuse so the "untouchables would remain untouchable".
He described them as "republicans who thought so much of this republic, that they would 'honour us with their rapists and give us their child abusers". He described them as "republicans who thought so much of this republic, that they would honour us with their rapists and give us their child abusers".
Ms Cahill, from Belfast, told the BBC's Spotlight programme last month that she had been raped by an alleged IRA member in 1997, when she was 16. Fine Gael TD for Meath East Regina Doherty said: "Deputy Adams, can you tell this house about an internal investigation led by you and other senior Sinn Féin politicians where you identified in excess of 100 victims of sexual and physical abuse at the hands of Sinn Féin or IRA members?
She further claimed that the IRA had subjected her to an internal inquiry in 1999 that culminated in her being forced to face her alleged abuser. "Can you tell us about that investigation, what did it uncover? Can you tell us did you report it to the gardaí (police)?
The man she accused, Martin Morris, has consistently denied her claims and was acquitted of all charges. "Did you report any of the 100 cases or so to the gardaí? Can you tell us why a senior press director of Sinn Féin was briefed to prepared a damage limitation exercise and was instructed to prepare a media strategy in the event of that investigation ever leaking?"
Fine Gael TD for Meath East Regina Doherty told the chamber she will hand over information to police on Friday about eight alleged abusers, who she claimed, were facilitated by Sinn Féin in moving to the Republic of Ireland. Ms Doherty said she would hand over information to police on Friday about eight alleged abusers, who she claimed, were facilitated by Sinn Féin in moving to the Republic of Ireland.
Ms Doherty said she was too afraid to name them in the Dáil on Wednesday.Ms Doherty said she was too afraid to name them in the Dáil on Wednesday.
She said she was "dizzy" from the amount of changes in Gerry Adams' story about an IRA investigation being carried out into the allegations made by Ms Cahill.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said: "The evidence is overwhelming that within the communities which the Provisional IRA worked to dominate, abuse of children was frequent and any action which was taken was designed to limit the publicity rather than to ensure justice.
"This was known at the top of both parts of the movement and it was actively colluded in. This not only continued after the ceasefires and the Good Friday Agreement, it has continued to this day.
"There was widespread abuse. There is an ongoing cover-up."
Mr Adams said his party was not involved in any cover-up of abuse.Mr Adams said his party was not involved in any cover-up of abuse.
He told the Dáil he believed Ms Cahill when she said she was the victim of sexual abuse. The Sinn Féin president denied that he had information about Sinn Féin or IRA members having been moved across the border, but acknowledged that the IRA was not equipped to deal with such allegations in the absence of what republicans would describe as "accountable policing".
All victims deserve support, he said, to bring the abuser to justice. He said he had apologised for mistakes republicans had made in dealing with alleged sex abuse, and said that it was a matter of public record that the IRA had punished "offenders".
Mr Adams reiterated that many people in the nationalist community in Northern Ireland in the past turned to the provisional (IRA) movement to deal with abuse. Mr Adams said that some sex abusers were shot and expelled and there was anecdotal evidence that some went to Britain.
He said alleged sex abusers in Northern Ireland were exiled by the provisional movement. He said many people in the nationalist community in Northern Ireland in the past turned to the provisional (IRA) movement to deal with abuse.
However, he said many victims of abuse had been failed by the state, the authorities and in some cases failed by republicans.
Mr Adams told the Dáil that if he or Sinn Féin were at fault, he would accept and acknowledge that.Mr Adams told the Dáil that if he or Sinn Féin were at fault, he would accept and acknowledge that.
However, he said he and other republicans who spoke to Ms Cahill did so out of concern for her welfare. Micheál Martin, the leader of Ireland's opposition party, said: "The evidence is overwhelming that within the communities which the Provisional IRA worked to dominate, abuse of children was frequent and any action which was taken was designed to limit the publicity rather than to ensure justice.
He said "surely there is agreement" in the Dáil of the urgent need for an "all-island victim-centred process for those who were failed and let down in the past". "This was known at the top of both parts of the movement and it was actively colluded in. This not only continued after the ceasefires and the Good Friday Agreement, it has continued to this day.
"There was widespread abuse. There is an ongoing cover-up."
Mr Martin claimed there are as many as 28 victims who are now discussing how they might have the truth of what happened to them acknowledged.