NI Conservatives’ co-chair and British and Irish Association board member, Trevor Ringland, has described aspects of Eamon Gilmore’s speech at the BIA’s latest meeting as “helpful and constructive”.
“I think that the Tanaiste’s comments about the Dublin government and the IRA’s border campaign were welcome and quite brave”, Trevor remarked. “We’ve seen David Cameron and the government making courageous statements about events like Bloody Sunday and, quite rightly, confronting some of the murkier aspects of the state’s role in the Troubles. Mr Gilmore’s comments will provide some reassurance to victims that the authorities in the Republic of Ireland are prepared to ask questions about their role at that time.”
“The important thing is that we need to move beyond states acknowledging that members of their security forces were wrong, when they stepped outside the law, and get to the point where all participants recognise that all illegal violence during the Troubles was wrong. That means no glorification of people who acted outside the law and no justifications for illegal acts of violence. With that attitude we will be able to pass on the right message to young people in Northern Ireland and across the island of Ireland, repair the divisions in society and build a hopeful future.”