Statement by Cllr Jolene Bunting, Belfast City Council:
“Over the past number of days we have seen many comments on dealing with the past. The priority for all democrats must be truth and justice, because only with that can we all look forward to a shared future.
“The double standards, and hypocrisy from Sinn Fein on this issue cannot go unchallenged. They have called on the British Government to open up their files in relation to terror-related incidents, but yet those who murdered and maimed the most people during the course of the last 40 years right up until now – namely the IRA and other paramilitaries – will not do the same.
“How will a terrorist organisation such as the IRA, that Sinn Fein claim are no longer in existence, release their records? Why would a terrorist organisation release such information (if they even have records) that would show them for the callous, sectarian murderers that they are?
“Let us not fool ourselves that even if a terrorist organisation engaged in such an activity that we would even get the truth. We would get a propaganda story.
“That would not get truth or justice.”