Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The upcoming IRA commemoration in Castlewellan starkly illustrates the fact Republicans far from changing and repudiating their bloody past are intent on celebrating and lionising terrorists. They want to indoctrinate the upcoming generation and even sickeningly seek to draw parallels between those who died for freedom in the First World War and IRA terrorists, as a Sinn Fein representative attempted to do this morning.
“South Down is an area which suffered grievously at the hands of the Provisional movement with over 70 people having their lives cut short by IRA terrorists. Yet Sinn Fein are intent on subjecting them to this terror fest.
“Once again Sinn Fein have illustrated their unfitness for government. This should cause all Unionists to reflect on the fact that Northern Ireland’s problems will not be solved by a return to Stormont government which includes mouthpieces of terror within its ranks”.