SAOIRSE32

Daily Ireland

Editor: Colin O’Carroll
07/02/2006

There’s a certain touching naiveté about Dermot Ahern — dubbed “the Foreign Secretary” by Dr Paisley — in his belief that the DUP leader might recant his weekend attack on the President.
Mr Ahern pointed out to the media that neither he nor any other Irish politician would contemplate using the word “hate” and a head of state in the same sentence — even when it comes to Elizabeth Windsor.
Secretary of State Peter Hain was under the impression that referring to royal protocol might soften the Big Man.
Fat chance.
Among the man of cloth’s infamous quotes in a career marked by incendiary statements was the following putdown of his own Queen Mother for breaking bread with the Pope. They were guilty, he told his followers, of “spiritual fornication and adultery with the Antichrist”.
In the circumstances, some observers might suggest, President McAleese got off easy.
Away from the histrionics, there were signs that the British government is willing to put the doctor’s feet to the fire.
Later this week, Sinn Féin will enjoy a financial windfall when the British House of Commons restores its funding — with backpay.
As if that wasn’t a big enough dunt for the DUP, Peter Hain is moving up a gear with his all-island strategy.
Having declared the Northern Ireland economy a dead duck in an interview with the Irish Echo, he’s now pressing ahead with plans to integrate health, inward investment and education strategies across the island. Like Domestos, he’s vowing to go places where the other cross-border bodies fail to go.
“No surrender and not an inch” were the tired messages from the DUP conference (and, yes, Dr Paisley used those very words) but they failed to impress the two governments, Sinn Féin or the SDLP all of whom are pledged to move forward without the Paisleyites. In fact Mark Durkan may have hit the nail on the head when he said that he never bought into the talk of the new, deal-making DUP. The lesson from the Council battle across the North in the nineties is that the DUP will only move when it’s told things are changing for the better — whether they like it or not.
That’s just as well because some respected commentators were predicting after the opening dreary day of the Hillsborough talks that there would be no substantive discussions until October of this year.
Civic society can’t wait around for the DUP to get real — even if their stalling tactics are endorsed by politicians south of the border who fear an northern executive inclusive of Sinn Féin just as much as the DUP. That’s why the loyalist hardliners shouldn’t be allowed to drive these talks into the clabber.

Belfast Telegraph

Everyone put your ‘gullible’ mask on now

Tyneside police reveal incidents

By Chris Thornton
07 February 2006

Tyneside police said today that two break-ins at offices used by Lord Stevens do not appear to be related to his long-running investigations into Northern Ireland collusion.

While the break-ins recalled a controversial fire at Lord Steven’s Carrickfergus office in 1990, the police statement suggested there would be no effect on the senior policeman’s final report into the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.

Reports of the break-ins - which occurred within ten days of each other - emerged as the Finucane family were preparing to meet Secretary of State Peter Hain today.

Mr Finucane’s family has also arranged a ground-breaking meeting with DUP leader Ian Paisley next week, to explain the family’s opposition to the Government’s terms for holding an inquiry into the murder.

Northumbria Police said there was no indication that the break-ins over successive weekends were connected to Lord Stevens’ work in Northern Ireland or his investigation into the death of Princess Diana.

Large sections of his Northern Ireland work have been handed over to the PSNI, but some strands are said to be continuing. Also Lord Steven’s interim report on the Finucane case, submitted two years ago, has not been followed by a final report.

A police statement said two laptops and cash were stolen from the offices in Gosforth, Tyneside during the first break-in at the end of January.

Nothing was stolen during the second break-in last weekend, police said.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police, where Lord Stevens runs the Diana and Finucane investigations, said no sensitive material was stolen.

Lord Stevens office in Northern Ireland was famously burned in January 1990, the night before he was due to arrest Army spy Brian Nelson for questioning about collusion between the UDA and the security forces.

Lord Stevens has a home in Northumbria, where he was chief constable before becoming Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “Detectives in Newcastle are investigating two break-ins at the Dobson House office block in Gosforth.

“The first one happened over the weekend of January 28/29 and two laptop computers and a quantity of cash were stolen. In the second break-in this weekend, nothing was stolen.

“There is nothing to suggest that this burglary is in any way linked with his work as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police or any investigations that he has been involved in either now or in the past.

My apologies to anyone who emailed me the past couple of days and received their letter back or did not get an answer if you needed one. My mail filter has been a bit over-zealous. Hopefully the problem is solved now.

Daily Ireland

07/02/2006

A conference on youth restorative justice will be held in Belfast next month. The Youth Conference Service, part of the Youth Justice Agency for Northern Ireland, will host the international conference from March 7 to 9. Leading speakers and delegates from as far afield as Hong Kong, New Zealand and Romania will discuss and debate youth restorative practices and share experiences of delivering effective restorative approaches across a wide range of jurisdictions.

The key speaker will be chief district court judge David J Carruthers from New Zealand. Judge Carruthers was one of the pioneers in developing and implementing a restorative justice model in New Zealand, the first country to introduce the model into its criminal justice system.

Announcing details of the conference, Alice Chapman, director of the Youth Conference Service, said: “Under the theme of ‘shifting the power to young people, families, victims and neighbourhoods’, the conference is a way for speakers and delegates to share best-practice methods in youth restorative justice. This provides us with an opportunity to showcase our own world-class service.

“Various sectors from Northern Ireland have already signed up for the conference, including community safety, local government and education, criminal justice, statutory and voluntary organisations, victims groups, legal and business communities and many more.”

In the North, the Youth Conference Service aims to facilitate restorative justice meetings involving the victim, young offender, families and the community in making an agreement on what can be done to put right the harm caused.

An independent evaluation report of the statutory youth conference scheme in the North will be launched at next month’s conference. The event is open to the public and a limited number of places are still available. These will be allocated on a first come, first served basis upon payment of the appropriate registration fee.

Further information can be obtained on the website www.youthconferenceserviceni.gov.uk or by calling the Belfast number (028/048) 9031 6422.

>>Click here

In this issue:
1. Continuity IRA’s attack barracks in Tyrone
2. RPAG rejects miniscule proposals for Maghaberry prisoners
3. Statement from Republican prisoners, E3, Portlaoise
4. RSF to hold demonstration against loyalist march
5. Ó Brádaigh book launch announced
6. Loyalists blamed for blast bomb on family
7. School targeted in Belfast
8. Sport urged to support Dorrian family
9. Rossport 5 withdraw from State ‘talks process’
10. Five-year GMO potato experiment near Tara
11. Focus Ireland publishes plan to ‘make home a reality’
12. Prisoners to get postal vote
13. Auction of 1916-1922 historical documents, letters etc
14. First woman president of Chile
15. Amnesty report on Guantanamo Bay

Daily Ireland

By Jarlath Kearney
07/02/2006

Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley has agreed to his first ever meeting with the family of the murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.
Mr Paisley’s meeting with the Finucane family is scheduled to take place next Monday at Stormont. Pat Finucane’s 17th anniversary is this Sunday.
Over recent months, the Finucanes have engaged in an intensive series of meetings with various political and religious leaders throughout Ireland.
Later this morning, Pat Finucane’s widow Geraldine will meet secretary of state Peter Hain. On Thursday, she will address the Oireachtas joint committee on foreign affairs.
Mr Hain is expected to put pressure the Finucane family to accept that any inquiry into the 1989 murder will take place under the terms of the controversial Inquiries Act.
Daily Ireland understands that Mr Hain is effectively offering the Finucane family an ultimatum of either accepting an inquiry under the Inquiries Act or accepting that no inquiry will ever be held.
The family has persistently campaigned for a full public international and independent inquiry into Pat Finucane’s murder. Since the killing, five of the loyalists directly involved have been uncovered as agents of the British security and intelligence services.
In 2001, the British and Irish governments agreed to have the case of Pat Finucane, along with five other controversial incidents, reviewed by the Canadian judge Peter Cory. Judge Cory found strong evidence of state collusion in Pat Finucane’s murder.
Last year, the British government established the Inquiries Act to ensure that the Finucane inquiry would be held under terms controlled by a government minister rather than an independent tribunal.
A spokesperson for the family yesterday reiterated the Finucanes’ determination to secure a full public international and independent inquiry. When such a tribunal is established, the Finucanes intend to take part, the spokesperson said.
At last week’s British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference meeting in London, Irish foreign minister Dermot Ahern again called on the British government to fulfil its commitment to implement Judge Cory’s recommendation.
That call followed Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s statement of support for the Finucane family in the Dáil on January 31.
Dermot Ahern said: “The government continues to support a full independent public inquiry into the murder of Patrick Finucane.
“We have made clear that we want to see the standard agreed at Weston Park and set by Judge Cory adhered to.
“We continue to share the concern of the Finucane family that the new Inquiries Act, under which the British government intends to have the Finucane case investigated, will not meet these standards.
“We have raised these concerns with the British government. The family has our full and continuing support in all their tireless efforts over so many years to achieve the full truth in this deeply disturbing case,” Dermot Ahern said.

Indymedia.ie

**This article is a lot longer on Indymedia, but after the >>O’Rawe book controversy, I’m not sure how ‘uncensored’ a story Sinn Féin will be giving.

————-

Sinn Féin in North County Dublin invites you to hear the uncensored story of the 1981 Hunger Strike:

Tuesday 28th February 2006 @ 7.30pm in the Milestone, Balbriggan

Speakers: Former POWs from the H-Blocks and Armagh Women’s Prison

Sinn Féin TD and former POW Martin Ferris

RTÉ

07 February 2006 16:22

Two men aged 19 and 23 have been arrested by police in Belfast in connection with the murder of Gerard Devlin in Belfast last Friday.

Earlier today two other men appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court charged with the murder.

Christopher Notarantonio, 53, and his son, William, 21, both of the same address at Whitecliff Parade in Ballymurphy, west Belfast, were charged with murdering Gerard Devlin.

A solicitor for the two men told the court they would not be making a bail application due to ‘ongoing activity’ in the Ballymurphy area.

The two were remanded in custody to appear by video link at the same court on 7 March.

Mr Devlin, a father of six, was stabbed to death in an attack in Whitecliff Parade last Friday as he arrived at his partner’s home to collect his children for the weekend.

Meanwhile, police are investigating a possible link between a series of arson attacks at houses in the Ballymurphy area yesterday, and the murder.

Two fires were started at one property on Whitecliff Parade within a five-hour period.

A further two properties on the street were also targeted.

BN.ie

07/02/2006 - 15:02:08

Murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane’s family today pledged to take their fight to Dublin after accusing Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain of resisting demands for major changes to the inquiry into his killing.

The lawyer’s wife Geraldine and son Michael were left angered by their meeting with Mr Hain, claiming the British government wants to cloak the tribunal in secrecy.

“The Secretary of State had every chance in the world to be useful and play a useful role,” Michael Finucane said.

“All the indications are that he’s not willing to do that and neither is the government he represents.

“The only option we have is going to the other Government who’s a partner in this process and getting Bertie Ahern to change Tony Blair’s mind.”

Mr Finucane was assassinated by loyalist paramilitaries at his north Belfast home 17 years ago.

Both a retired Canadian Supreme Court judge and former Scotland Yard chief Sir John Stevens detected enough evidence of security force collaboration with the Ulster Defence Association men involved.

Their findings, which supported a campaign by the Finucanes, saw the Government propose setting up an official hearing into the allegations.

But the family rejected the arrangements, claiming the Inquiries Act passed to run the probe would allow the authorities to keep crucial material undisclosed.

Mr Finucane and his mother were joined by Jane Winter, director of the British Irish Rights Watch, for the 45-minute meeting with Mr Hain at Stormont Castle, east Belfast.

Human rights organisations have joined Judge Peter Cory, who probed the collusion claims, in expressing concerns at how the authorities plan to run the inquiry.

“He (Mr Hain) consistently underlined the (British) government’s intention to hold the inquiry under the Inquiries Act,” Mr Finucane revealed.

“It renders the panel devoid of independence and retains control with the government minister through use of restriction notices.

“Therefore we doubt its capacity to get at the truth.”

Mr Finucane also claimed the plans were centred around pacifying the intelligence services.

He added: “The situation appears to be the tail wagging the dog.”

The family’s campaign received further backing today from the nationalist SDLP’s Justice spokesman Alban Maginness.

The North Belfast MLA insisted that the British government gave a pledge two years ago to support a proper inquiry into the murder if recommended by Judge Cory.

“Yet what we got was rushed legislation to prevent the full truth about the murder coming out,” he said.

“A gagged inquiry cannot get at the truth when the government is free to suppress information at will.

“It is unacceptable to the family and to the SDLP. We have raised the issue of a proper public inquiry at every meeting with Tony Blair and we will continue to do so in the future.”

BBC

The postal workers marched to the Belfast rally

Several hundred striking Royal Mail workers have held a rally in Belfast city centre.

Ray Ellis, a national Communication Workers Union (CWU) representative, told them their action was unofficial and said they should return to work.

However, beforehand, Mr Ellis told the media Royal Mail should also agree to a review of employee relations.

Post has been disrupted in north, south and west Belfast. Deliveries in the east of the city have continued.

Mail posted in Belfast is not being processed or delivered.

On Tuesday Mr Ellis said: “If they continue to refuse to talk, then I’m afraid our members are going to face more loss of money and customers are going to face more disruption.

“We are doing our best to get people back, Royal Mail need to respond.”

The rally was held at Transport House, near the Tomb Street depot where the strike over bullying allegations began last Tuesday.

Action spreading

The action spread to the main sorting office at Mallusk on Friday, sparking fears the dispute could escalate throughout Northern Ireland.

However, the Royal Mail said a majority of workers at the Mallusk depot turned up on Sunday night and again on Monday.

The unofficial action was started by more than 200 postal workers at the city’s Tomb Street depot.

It was blamed on difficulties between staff and management over disciplinary procedures and other issues in the north Belfast section.

Royal Mail has said workers need to come off the picket line before they will enter into negotiations with them.

However, staff involved in the dispute have said they have no intention of returning to work until the original dispute in Belfast has been resolved.

Royal Mail said customers needing more information and advice could contact its helpline number on 08457 740740.

BBC

A solicitor used his position to pass information to senior members of the loyalist paramilitary UVF, it was alleged in a High Court bail hearing.

Manmohan Sandhu, 41, of Colby Avenue in Derry, was granted bail.

On Monday, he had denied attempting to incite a murder and four charges of perverting the course of justice.

Mr Sandhu was granted bail, on the condition that he surrenders his Indian passport and stays out of Antrim police station’s serious crime facility.

The charges faced by Mr Sandhu on Monday related to a murder and attempted murder - both carried out by the UVF - during a loyalist feud last summer.

It was alleged on Tuesday that Mr Sandhu had used his position as a solicitor to pass information to senior members of the UVF.

Police allege he did this by mobile phone from a consultation room at Antrim police station.

The prosecution claimed on one occasion Mr Sandhu phoned an unknown person, indicating that a taxi driver, already recovering in hospital from gunshot wounds after a failed murder bid, should be “taken out”.

Mr Sandhu’s office was in Limavady but the majority of his criminal law practice was in east Belfast, the court heard.

Irish Examiner

07/02/2006 - 11:49:31 AM

Councils in the Republic were today urged to join an all-island campaign to prevent 25,000 undocumented Irish immigrants in the United States becoming the victim of tough new laws.

SDLP Assembly member PJ Bradley has written to every county and city council manager in the Republic urging them to debate the impact on illegal Irish immigrants of anti-terrorism plans by US President George W Bush.

The South Down MLA said: “Many people have yet to realise the determination of the US Government to introduce stringent anti-terrorism measures.

“There are currently over 50 proposals in the form of Draft Bills up for debate and many of these are being openly supported by Democrats and Republicans alike.

“It will require a significant degree of lobbying to influence the thinking of both Congress and the Senate, but lobby we must.

“I have been in touch with every county and city council manager in the south of Ireland requesting them to table the issue for discussion in their council chambers and to lend their support to our undocumented in America.

“The SDLP has already commenced the process by introducing Notices of Motion for discussion in all 26 councils in the North.”

In November President Bush began lobbying for stronger immigration controls.

His plans include tighter security along the Mexican frontier but also moves to permit migrants with a job offer to stay in the US temporarily for three years with the possibility of a three-year extension if they return to their home countries for a year to apply for a new work permit.

Alternative proposals have also been tabled by Republican Senators John Kyl and John Cornyn and Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy and Republican John McCain.

There are estimated to be around 11 million undocumented workers in the United States, amongst them 25,000 Irish.

Last month SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell met the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform in New York, which involves prominent Irish American businessmen such as Irish Voice publisher Niall O’Dowd and former Congressman Bruce Morrison.

The group was formed to ensure Irish immigrants do not get left behind in any deal on the US legislation.

Mr Bradley said today the SDLP and the immigration lobby group supported the Kennedy/McCain Bill because it would at least give the undocumented an opportunity to obtain a green card.

“It would allow those that were residing in America on 12th May 2005 the opportunity to register by paying a $1000 registration fee and submitting their names for a background check,” he said.

“But at least when all checks are found to be satisfactory a green card should be forthcoming. “

The Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform has staged a number of rallies in New York and Philadelphia, with others planned for Boston on Thursday, in Queen’s in New York, San Francisco and Washington.

Their inaugural meeting in Yonkers in New York saw over 1,000 people sign up to the campaign.

Mr Bradley said: “People living here with relatives working in the US should advise them of the pending meetings and of the information they can obtain by attending.”

Mr Finucane, 39, was shot dead in front of his family

The family of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane is to meet NI Secretary Peter Hain to discuss proposals for an inquiry into his murder.

Mr Finucane, 39, was killed by loyalist paramilitaries at his home in 1989.

His family have said they do not think an inquiry held under the Inquiries Act would be able to get the truth.

Mr Finucane’s killing was one of the most controversial in 30 years of the Troubles due to allegations of security force collusion.

Retired Canadian judge Peter Cory recommended separate inquiries into Mr Finucane’s murder, and three other controversial killings.

These were the killings of solicitor Rosemary Nelson, leading loyalist Billy Wright and Catholic father of two Robert Hamill.

The Finucane family, human rights campaigners and nationalist politicians, as well as Judge Cory, have expressed alarm at moves by the government to ensure the tribunal into Mr Finucane’s murder is held under the Inquiries Act, which was passed earlier this year.

They have claimed the Act will suppress the truth about what happened, with Amnesty International saying crucial evidence could be omitted from any final report at the government’s discretion.

The human rights group has urged judges not to sit on the inquiry into Mr Finucane’s death.

Daily Ireland

**Via Newshound

by Ciarán Barnes
06/02/2006

The leader of an influential Irish-American pressure group has criticised the US special envoy to the North for his praise of the PSNI.
In a letter to Mitchell Reiss, Irish National Caucus president Fr Sean McManus, said recent comments by Mr Reiss could lead some people to view him as a “recruiting sergeant for the PSNI”.
Speaking last week, Mr Reiss said the PSNI is among the best police forces in the Europe.
Responding to this assessment Fr McManus called on the US official to be “more critical and cautious”.
The Washington-based priest said: “Many of us wish your support for the PSNI were a little bit more critical and cautious. It would be a pity if your good work for Ireland became overshadowed by your exuberant and uncritical support for a police service about which there are still many profoundly disturbing questions.”
Fr McManus said Catholics would have difficutly with Mr Reiss claiming the PSNI is among the best police forces in Europe, especially when former CID officer Jonty Brown claimed last week that he was being targeted by his former colleagues.
He said: “No Catholic from the North can read that quote without profound resonance. You have remained silent on matters like this, while being quite vocal about other accusations regarding republicans.
“I feel it is very important that you avoid any appearance of a double standard. So I urge you to speak out on these matters so that your good work for Ireland will not be overshadowed by headlines like ‘PSNI the best in Europe’ – and, yes, I know you don’t write the headlines. It would be a profound tragedy if the honest broker title of the special envoy for Northern Ireland came to be replaced by that of recruiting sergeant for the PSNI,” he said.

BBC

By Jonathan McCambridge
07 February 2006

A heavy police presence was evident in west Belfast today amid fears of an escalation of a bitter family feud following the murder of a father of six.

There have now been nine reported attacks in the Whitecliff and Ballymurphy areas following the fatal stabbing of Gerard Devlin, who died as he was picking up his children on Friday afternoon.

Two men, aged 21 and 53, were today due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court charged with murdering Mr Devlin.

There were another two overnight attacks in the area which police are linking to a family feud.

A house was extensively damaged by a petrol bomb at Ballymurphy Parade and a vehicle was set on fire at Rock Grove.

Police earlier said a house at Whitecliff Parade had been targeted twice yesterday, despite being singled out by arsonists on Sunday.

The attacks occurred at properties just yards from where Mr Devlin died.

Two further homes in Whitecliff Parade were also set on fire yesterday and there have also been attacks in the nearby Dermot Hill area.

Police are treating all of the incidents as arson and believe they are linked.

However, it is believed that there may be more incidents which have not been reported to police.

There was no-one at home in any of the properties which have been attacked this morning and neighbours said they did not want to talk about the deteriorating situation.

However one man, who did not want to be named, said: “It is very tense here today, you are just waiting for the next attack because this thing is getting worse.”

Mr Devlin’s aunt, Bernadette O’Rawe, earlier said her family wanted the violence to end.

She said: “We condemn what is going on here with these houses burning and shops burning, we are not responsible.”

There were a number of police Land-Rovers in the Ballymurphy Estate this morning guarding several of the properties which have been attacked.

Fire crews were also attacked as they attended some of the blazes near where Mr Devlin was murdered.

He had left the area following a family feud and had been building a new home for his family in the Co Antrim village of Glenavy.

BBC

By Brian Walker
07 February 2006

Security Minister Shaun Woodward has dismissed claims of differences between the IMC and the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) over whether the IRA have held on to guns.

Addressing a Westminster committee session to renew, for a final year, the order granting an amnesty to paramilitaries who are decommissioning their arsenals, Mr Woodward said that both bodies were united in saying last week they had “no reason to doubt” the IRA leadership was committed to “eschewing terrorism”.

“This order has become an annual event. Last year, just after the Northern Bank robbery, members were disappointed that so little progress had been made on decommissioning. This year we have to recognise the huge progress that has been made since last year, ” said Mr Woodward.

In the absence of DUP committee member Nigel Dodds who was attending the Hillsborough talks, Tory MPs Laurence Robertson and Ben Wallace challenged the minister for glossing over the reports that IRA members were holding onto weapons, beyond ” a limited number of handguns kept for personal protection, or some items the whereabouts of which were no longer known”.

Mr Robertson who is a front bench spokesman, insisted there were “differences of interpretation” between the IMC and General de Chastelain’s commission.

On prospects for a complete end to all IRA illegal activity he said: “I share the minister’s sense of hope but not his sense of optimism.”

In the dispute over IRA weapons, his colleague Mr Wallace pleaded with ministers: “Don’t hoodwink us. Give it to us warts and all. Next year (when the amnesty period runs out for paramilitaries) “we will say enough is enough”.

On Wednesday, the IRA’s decommissioning record will come under further scrutiny by the full House, when MPs take the decision on restoring their parliamentary allowances.

In what is nominally a free vote, the Conservatives and the DUP have pledged to vote against the Government.

BBC

A father and son have been remanded in custody at Belfast Magistrates Court charged with the murder of Gerard Devlin in the west of the city.

Mr Devlin, a father of six, was fatally stabbed at Whitecliff Parade on Friday.

Christopher Notarantonio, 53, of 4 Whitecliff Parade and William Notarantanio, 21, of the same address, are also charged with affray.

A detective told the court both men had said they had given their account of what happened when they were charged.

The officer said she believed she could connect both men to the murder charge and to the second charge of causing an affray.

Both were remanded in custody to appear by video link at the same court on 7 March.

There was a large police presence in and around the court for the hearing.

Irish Independent

A LIFE-SIZE bronze statue of poet WB Yeats, badly damaged when a car ploughed into it six months ago, has been reinstated in all its former glory. Click to view - Yeats on way to ‘hospital’ - statue weighs around 3 tonnes! - photo from Sligo Heritage

Before resuming its dandy pose yesterday morning, the Yeats figure endured a further indignity as it was dangled unceremoniously by the neck from a JCB for several hours while the final adjustments were made to the pedestal.

The Rowan Gillespie-designed sculpture had been part of the cultural fabric of Sligo since it was first erected outside the Ulster Bank on Stephen Street, close to Hyde Bridge on the Garavogue River, in 1990.

The “victim” had suffered multiple injuries in the crash including two broken legs, a damaged nose, a grazed forehead and a broken arm.

But the delighted sculptor, who moulded new feet and ankles for the figure and was there to witness yesterday’s event, said he was pleased with the finished product.

“Replacing the feet and ankles was the biggest problem because I had to get the angle exactly right but I am happy with the result.

“He’s had a rough time of it but in fact, if anything he’s looking slightly better now,” he joked.

Rowan, pictured above as the statue was being re-installed, took advantage of the accident to carry out a few improvements to the work on aspects which had irritated him in the past.

“There had been a problem with the limestone base. A light was added which was being used as an ashtray and there was a plaque, all giving the effect of the base of a Christmas tree. I have made it simpler and I think it works better,” he said.

He has also given the esteemed poet greater protection from spectacles thieves.

“His glasses have been stolen several times but now they are welded on and have razor sharp edges,” he said.

There was general welcome that the 140cm statue was returned to the spot which had been originally selected because of a reference the poet made to the bank building when he went to Stockholm in 1924 to receive the Nobel Prize for literature.

President of the Council of the Yeats’ Society, Michael Keohane, who described the statue as the single reference to Yeats which was visible in Sligo town, welcomed its return.

“It is sort of a focal point in the town and it is nice to have him back,” he said.

ANITA GUIDERA

Irish Independent

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern and Ian Paisley clashed over the DUP leader’s claims that President McAleese was “dishonest” - a remark for which he refused to apologise, writes Gene McKenna.

They also clashed when Mr Paisley complained about “sectarianism” in the Republic and alleged attacks on his Free Presbyterian churches.

“I’m not going to take any lectures on sectarianism from you,” Mr Ahern told him bluntly.

The minister described the discussions with the DUP as “robust”.

The tough exchanges resulted from Dr Paisley’s controversial comments, which he made at his party’s weekend conference.

The DUP leader, with his son Ian Jnr by his side was yesterday sticking by the hardline comments to his party conference that the President was “dishonest”.

“I don’t like the President of the Irish Republic,” Dr Paisley told delegates.

He accused her of being “dishonest” and of pretending to love Northern Ireland but actually “hating” it.

Dr Paisley also accused her of breaching diplomatic protocol and of being hostile to the PSNI.

The charges were denied by Aras an Uachtarain but it issued no formal response to the DUP leader’s claims.

At Hillsborough yesterday, Dr Paisley said that when President McAleese had made comments regarding Unionists and Nazis the Irish government had been strangely silent.

He said he had spoken the truth at the weekend and the Irish government was going to have to take it.

But Mr Ahern pointed out to him that President McAleese had apologised for her remarks at the time.

He said he felt obliged to tell Dr Paisley that on behalf of the Government and the Irish people, he found his criticisms of the President “unacceptable, unwarranted and untrue”.

The Minister pointed out that no member of the Irish Government would speak in such terms of any head of state, not least the Queen of England.

Northern Secretary Peter Hain said the British Government held the President in very high regard and he saw last December when they met at Hillsborough that Queen Elizabeth felt likewise. Mr Hain said he personally was “a great admirer of the president”.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams described the remarks as “typical Ian Paisley” while SDLP leader Mark Durkan spoke of the remarks as “ugly”. Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey also distanced himself from the Paisley comments.

Irish Independent

Gene McKenna, at Hillsborough Castle
7 February 2006

MAJOR obstacles to efforts by the Irish and British governments to restore the Northern institutions emerged on the first day of renewed talks yesterday.

The Northern parties have been given until April to make significant headway with the fresh bid to revive devolution.

But a continued hardline approach by Dr Ian Paisley’s DUP towards any involvement with Sinn Fein is likely to mean that timeframe cannot be met.

The moves to end the three-year stalemate began with Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern and Northern Secretary Peter Hain meeting the parties individually during the day at Hillsborough Castle.

But it is obvious they face considerable problems in trying to close gaps between unionists and nationalists.

Dr Paisley said Sinn Fein should not be in talks with the governments while criminality is ongoing.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said the agenda should not be set by the DUP and it was time for the governments to assert themselves and to move the process on quickly. He said that, despite Dr Paisley’s stance, his attendance at the talks showed “things have changed”.

Timescale

The two ministers told the parties that they would have to work to a tight timescale if they were to have meaningful assembly elections next year. Mr Ahern said any deal would be determined by the template of the Good Friday Agreement.

After meeting Mr Hain and Mr Ahern, Dr Paisley said the IRA must disband before his party would go into government with republicans. He claimed the Irish government was “backing” the IRA.

“There was no agreement between us, there is a great gulf because the southern government still thinks the IRA should be there and by right should be taking part in these discussions and by right should be in any future government of Northern Ireland,” he said.

Mr Hain ruled out recalling the assembly in an attempt to force all-party agreement, saying he was not prepared to recall the assembly simply to have it “shipwrecked”.

Mr Hain said: “This year is the big year. That is the timeframe.” British and Irish officials were keen to stress that the talks were not merely a stocktaking exercise or “for the optics”, as Mr Hain phrased it.

They were the launch of a concerted effort to bridge the gaps between the parties. “There is no reason at all for any political party not to negotiate on the future politics of Northern Ireland now,” Mr Hain said.

The parties will meet the North’s Political Development Minister David Hanson for more talks next week.