Jim Allister said:
“When it comes to inquires into the events during the 30 years of terror which blighted Northern Ireland, Micheal Martin would be well advised to get his own house in order before looking at anyone else.
“For the entirety of the PIRA campaign the Republic acted as a safe haven for terrorists from which they could launch attacks and to which they could flee save in the the knowledge that once over the border there was little prospect of them facing justice.
“Figures published by the House of Commons show that between 1973 and 1997 there were 110 requests for extradition from the Republic of Ireland by the UK. Of those, just 8 were successful. Frequently, terrorists successfully cited the constitution of the Irish Republic when fighting attempts to bring them back to face justice in Northern Ireland. Even after the Anglo Irish Agreement – in which Dublin promised increased cooperation on security – the situation failed to improve.
“Not only that but there are numerous examples of cases where outright collusion between the Garda and the IRA is suspected. The horrific murder of three members of the Hanna family as they returned from a holiday in Disneyland in 1988 is one particularly notable example. The family of Ian Sproule to this day have unanswered questions as to how an inaccurate Garda file ended up in the hands of the IRA, something which resulted in murder. In both the Hanna and Sprole cases Dublin has ignored repeated calls from the families for inquires.
“The focus of the media and Nationalism north and south on the Finucane case is typical of the double standards which have operated throughout the “peace process.” There is justifiable anger and hurt across Northern Ireland that the loved ones of many innocent victims do not have any prospect of justice much less public inquires.
“The Prime Minister should not just ignore Dublin’s request but should start standing up for the rights of the many British citizens who lost their lives as a result of the approach of the Irish Republic to terrorism originating from within their borders. 50 years ago this year we had the Arms Trial which raised very serious questions about the role of the Republic of Ireland in the formation of the Provisional IRA. It is shameful that our government is so weak that it doesn’t immediately demand answers on this every time Dublin appears with a new set of grievances.”