Sinn Féin knows rival parties are intent on repeatedly targeting its law and order credentials as momentum builds toward a general election, Mary Lou McDonald has said.
The party president described claims and criticisms related to its past opposition to the non-jury Special Criminal Court, the crimes of former Sinn Féin Dublin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, or the IRA killing of Garda members during the Troubles were the “ultimate in diversionary distraction politics” by government parties.
“If they were confident, if they were confident in their own record, if they were confident that people out there actually saw gardaí on the beat, if people actually felt safe, they would not have to reach for those tactics,” Ms McDonald told the PA news agency.
“It’s the ultimate in diversionary distraction politics. Exactly that.
“They will run those lines again and again and again, because they cannot honestly, hand on heart, convince people that in fact having run down Garda numbers, closed Garda stations, that they have made people safer.
“They have not and those are the facts.”
Ms McDonald also said she has no regrets about tabling a motion of no confidence in Minister for Justice Helen McEntee following November’s far right-influenced riots in Dublin.
The move was used by some of Sinn Féin’s political rivals to portray the party as anti-Garda.
Ms McEntee survived the confidence vote by a comfortable margin. Ms McDonald has also said she has lost confidence in Garda Commissioner Drew Harris in the wake of the disorder in Dublin.
“I have been consistent in offering my absolute support and, as a Dubliner, our huge appreciation to the gardai because they stepped up on that evening,” she said.
“But control was lost of the city centre. I mean, Dublin burned.
“It was on the back of a brutal assault outside of a gaelscoil in the city centre (the stabbing of three children and their care assistant).
“And the idea that the Government generally, and that the Justice Minister, would not be held to account for that to me is mind boggling, quite frankly.
“Of course, Ms McEntee had to be held to account for it. So, I think it was a necessary thing to do.
“And, just remember this, during the summertime there had been a whole conversation about safety in Dublin city on the back of an assault on an American tourist.
“And we were told at that stage, according to the Justice Minister, the streets were safe.
“The fact is, and I love this city, I am the proudest Dubliner that you could meet, so this gives me no pleasure to say, but the facts are that people don’t feel safe in certain parts of our city.
“And that’s been the case for a long time.
“The Government have been aware of that for a very long time.
“And the 23rd of November was the moment where that really pivoted out of control for a number of hours. That’s not acceptable.
“We’ve less gardaí now than we had in 2009, even though we have a much bigger population.
“They’ve reduced Garda numbers, closed down Garda stations and I happen to think that you have a right to feel safe in your community and out on your streets. And when a government and a minister fails, and a big fail in that department, well, then it’s our job in the Dáil, in parliament, to hold them to account.”
Last month, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he would find the prospect of a Sinn Féin minister of justice, foreign affairs or defence “repugnant”.
Asked what her message would be to voters who may have misgivings about Sinn Féin filling the justice portfolio, given the IRA’s targeting of gardai in the Troubles, Ms McDonald said: “To be really honest with you, talking to people out across communities, the far greater misgiving now is the failure of the current government on the watch of a party (Fine Gael) that fashioned itself as the party of law and order.”
In her interview with PA, Ms McDonald was also asked about criticism aimed at both herself and party colleagues for various legal actions taken against the media.
She responded: “The quality of our democracy relies on lots of things – good, robust journalism, but it also relies on respecting the law and respecting the rules and defaming public figures is not a great way, is not a positive contribution to a healthy democratic process either.
“So the rulebook is there for all of us.
“My appeal is just that we play by the rules.
“And I have no issue with people criticising Sinn Féin night, noon and morning if you wish.
“That’s perfectly fine, up to and including coverage that might even be hostile, that’s also OK in a democratic system. But when you cross the line, and you defame somebody, well, then that’s not OK.
“So don’t do that and then none of us are going to have a problem at all.”
