Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The IRA death threat received by Martina McDonnell, a close friend of the McGuigan family, illustrates that while Unionists pontificate about Sinn Fein needing to admit that the IRA exists or practice political hokey cokey with their executive Ministers Republicans linked to a party of government continue to rule communities by fear and the threat of the gun.
“With a mother of five receiving a sympathy card from the IRA containing a bullet because of her friendship with the family of an IRA murder victim no one should be in any doubt as to the nature of the movement Unionists have ushered into the heart of government.
“What is needed is not crisis talks to get a morally bankrupt system back up and running but a facing down of Sinn Fein/IRA and the bringing to justice of those behind murder and intimidation.
“The present system which sees Sinn Fein/IRA Ministers remain in office cannot be defended by anyone committed to democracy and the rule of law. It needs to go and go now.
“However it is dressed up no fancy formula of words and no shiny new IMC will change the fact that the IRA retain weapons and reserve the right to use them. I don’t believe that Sinn Fein/IRA will accede to the UUP demand that they admit the IRA exists but so what if they did? Would that stop incidents like this?
“And what of the DUP position? By re-nominating Ministers yesterday and leaving Arlene Foster in post as DFP Minister and acting First Minister they sustain Sinn Fein in office – a party which they themselves say is “inextricably linked” to those who have recently shot a man in the streets of our capital city and who are now sending out threats to kill those who associated with him.”