by Kathy Masterson
A MOTION proposed by Limerick Sinn Féin councillor Maurice Quinlivan calling for criminal assets seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) to be set aside for community facilities was branded “extremely hypocritical” by Fianna Fáil councillor James Collins.
The motion, submitted to this month’s Metropolitan District meeting, called on the government to “to amend the Proceeds of Crime Acts to ensure that monies and assets seized by CAB be set aside for local communities”.
Cllr Quinlivan said he believed this could lead to improved cooperation between the local community and the Gardaí.”
He added that there was a perception within the community that drug dealers “drive fancy cars, have fancy houses and go on fancy holidays” and people don’t understand “why no action is taken and why the money is not taken from them”.
However Cllr Collins said the Sinn Féin motion was extremely hypocritical “given the connections of members of the IRA, a sister organisation and illegal private army, to serious criminality which has been investigated by CAB”.
“It is deliberately political, opportunistic and cynically populist for Sinn Féin to now attempt to portray themselves as the party of law and order. Responsibility for The Northern Bank raid, the murder of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, the murders of Robert McCartney, Paul Quinn and Jean McConville have all at times been denied by the IRA”, he said.
He added that Sinn Féin’s commitment to the rule of law “is still in question as we have seen from the Party’s dismissing of Maíria Cahill’s experience”.
“When did Sinn Féin recognise An Garda Síochána as the sole and legitimate institution of law and order in our country? Before or after their members chose not to did report the rape of children by IRA members to An Garda Síochána?” demanded Cllr Collins.
His party colleague Kieran O’Hanlon suggested that the motion be amended to call for the monies to be retained by CAB to support their work .
Cllr Quinlivan said that the motion came from his involvement in local drugs organisations and that he was disappointed with his fellow council members’ “attempts to politicise the issue”.
With regard to Cllr Collins’ reference to Maíria Cahill, Cllr Quinlivan said he did not doubt that Ms Cahill had been subjected to sexual abuse, but stressed that “the four individuals accused have been found not guilty by the courts”.
“If James Collins or any other individuals have any information about any sexual abuse then they should share that with the Gardaí,” he added.
