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07/02/2008
'Quinn Death Must Mark End Of Mafia-Style Rule On The Border' - Flanagan
The Northern Ireland and Republic governments have been urged to work together to deliver a real peace to South Armagh and border areas.
Speaking in the Dáil debate on the killing of Paul Quinn, Fine Gael Justice Spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the tragic death of Paul Quinn must be a catalyst that marks the end of mafia-style rule in border areas, in which criminals take on the role of judge and jury.
He said: "It is clear that the mafia-like situation that existed prior to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 still persists at a certain level a decade later."
21-year-old Quinn was lured across the Border from his home in Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, to a cattle shed near Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on October 20th last year. He was severely beaten by a gang of up to a dozen men and died in hospital in Drogheda.
His family have blamed members of the IRA for the murder - but Sinn Fein deny this.
Deputy Flanaghan said: "We are supposed to have moved on from the tragic era of the Troubles. We now have a functioning Northern Executive at Stormont that is charged with governing the domestic affairs of Northern Ireland.
"If punishment for alleged crimes is to be meted out, then that is a matter for the police and the Courts, not for individuals or gangs.
"Prime Time revealed that legitimate authorities are still afraid to go after the smugglers because of mafia-style threats, intimidation, and physical violence evidenced in co-called punishment beatings. Paul Quinn's tragic death must be a watershed for the border area. It must be the catalyst that marks the end of mafia rule and the beginning of the meaningful rule of law," he said.
He urged the Government and the Northern Ireland authorities to work closely together to deliver a real peace to South Armagh; to create and foster a civil society where people feel secure and protected by the legitimate police force.
He said there is much scope for North-South cooperation on this issue: "An Garda Síochána and the PSNI must work together hand-in-hand. The obvious place for such cooperation to begin is in investigating Paul's appalling murder and bringing his killers to justice."
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said the Border will not prevent any barrier to the investigation, however the Garda had no information to suggest that the killing was carried out by the IRA.
(VB)
Speaking in the Dáil debate on the killing of Paul Quinn, Fine Gael Justice Spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the tragic death of Paul Quinn must be a catalyst that marks the end of mafia-style rule in border areas, in which criminals take on the role of judge and jury.
He said: "It is clear that the mafia-like situation that existed prior to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 still persists at a certain level a decade later."
21-year-old Quinn was lured across the Border from his home in Cullyhanna, Co Armagh, to a cattle shed near Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, on October 20th last year. He was severely beaten by a gang of up to a dozen men and died in hospital in Drogheda.
His family have blamed members of the IRA for the murder - but Sinn Fein deny this.
Deputy Flanaghan said: "We are supposed to have moved on from the tragic era of the Troubles. We now have a functioning Northern Executive at Stormont that is charged with governing the domestic affairs of Northern Ireland.
"If punishment for alleged crimes is to be meted out, then that is a matter for the police and the Courts, not for individuals or gangs.
"Prime Time revealed that legitimate authorities are still afraid to go after the smugglers because of mafia-style threats, intimidation, and physical violence evidenced in co-called punishment beatings. Paul Quinn's tragic death must be a watershed for the border area. It must be the catalyst that marks the end of mafia rule and the beginning of the meaningful rule of law," he said.
He urged the Government and the Northern Ireland authorities to work closely together to deliver a real peace to South Armagh; to create and foster a civil society where people feel secure and protected by the legitimate police force.
He said there is much scope for North-South cooperation on this issue: "An Garda Síochána and the PSNI must work together hand-in-hand. The obvious place for such cooperation to begin is in investigating Paul's appalling murder and bringing his killers to justice."
Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan said the Border will not prevent any barrier to the investigation, however the Garda had no information to suggest that the killing was carried out by the IRA.
(VB)
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