Ahern urged to hold firm over McCabe killers' release
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today faced opposition demands to hold firm on any early release of the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said that a Government amendment to his party’s Private Members’ Motion on the issue was “ambiguous”.
Sinn Féin had demanded that the four IRA men convicted of the 1996 killing be freed as part of an overall peace deal in Northern Ireland.
But Mr Ahern said in the Dáil Parliament last month that the McCabe issue was off the negotiating table since power-sharing talks broke down in December.
But Mr Kenny today said: “Is the Government prepared to stand up to Mr Ahern’s comments that the McCabe issue is off the agenda?
“The Government’s amendment proposal on the issue is very ambiguous. There is a clear difference of opinion between the Government and the opposition on this.”
The Dáil is due to debate the Private Members’ Motion later this evening.
