'Stand Up And Be Counted', Says Adams

In the wake of the murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr, the Sinn Fein President has said it is time to "stand up and be counted" against "tiny, unrepresentative factions".

Dáil Deputy Gerry Adams has even offered to meet with dissidents to "point out what he said is the futility of armed actions in the Ireland of 2011 and to discuss the political space that is open for you to move into".

He added that those who "who provide shelter, resources or facilities to them" need to reflect on their position.

He said: "These groups are not the IRA and nobody should be under any illusion about that."

Deputy Adams also appealed to republican groups including Republican Sinn Féin, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, the Republican Network for Unity and Éirigí.

He commented: "These are all entirely legitimate political groupings.

"They are fully entitled to disagree with Sinn Fein and to criticise us and our strategy.

"But since the murder of Ronan Kerr they have all put their heads down.

"I am appealing to them all to call for an end to these armed actions.

"They need to make it clear that these actions have to stop."

However Eirígí General Secretary, Breandán MacCionnaith, has slammed the comments - which were made on RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland programme today.

MacCionnaith said: "This is the latest in the long line of cynical attacks by Gerry Adams and others in the Sinn Fein leadership upon éirígí.

"These attacks are motivated by nothing more than Sinn Fein's fear that éirígí's coherent socialist republican message is gaining increasing support in areas that Adams & Co regard as their personal political fiefdoms.

"Eirígí's position on the recent killing in Omagh and on other armed actions is clear and unambiguous.

"The party is not aligned to or supportive of any armed groups or their actions. This has been our position since our foundation five years ago, something Gerry Adams is well aware of," he responded.

(BMcN/GK)