Statement by TUV Lagan Valley Assembly candidate Dr William Kitchen:
“Conor Murphy’s interview by detectives investigating the murder of Paul Quinn is another reminder – if one were needed – that the IRA are no joking matter yet just a few days ago Gerry Adams produced a video mocking victims about the continued existence of the IRA.
“The murder by the IRA of Paul Quinn was truly horrific yet Conor Murphy, who was then and is now a Minister, declared that it had nothing to do with republicans. He gave that assurance because he said that he had been to see the IRA leadership in south Armagh, which had given him “solid assurances” that republicans were not involved. But while Murphy was keen to claim that the IRA were whiter than white he was quite willing to cast aspersions on the young man who had been murdered.
“I wish the police every success in their investigation into the Quinn murder and trust that politics will not interfere with the justice process. Whatever happens today’s news is a reminder of utter unfitness of Murphy and his party to hold ministerial office. Coming at this point it is also a reminder that the IRA should not be the subject of the sort of sick humour we saw in the Adams’ video – humour which the deputy First Minister shamefully defended”.