Aontu deputy leader accuses Sinn Fein of ‘smoke and mirrors' tactics over voting rights bill
Gemma Brolly calls on party to explain why it hasn't backed presidential election proposals
Aontu is calling on Sinn Fein to explain why it hasn't signed a bill in the Dail to give Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland the right to vote in the Republic's presidential election.
The party's deputy leader, Gemma Brolly, said she was 'hugely frustrated' at Sinn Fein's failure so far to respond to correspondence from Aontu leader Peadar Toibin on the issue. Sinn Fein has been contacted for comment.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Gerry Adams' ‘putting manners on BBC' remark ‘chilling', NUJ man says
Gerry Adams' claim that his libel case against the BBC was about 'putting manners' on the broadcaster has been described as 'chilling' by a senior union figure. Seamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), also said the high profile case showed the need for reform of Ireland's defamation laws, saying the public would never know why the jury made its decision. Former Sinn Fein leader Mr Adams took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, for which he denies any involvement. A jury at the High Court in Dublin awarded him 100,000 euro (£84,000) when it found in his favour on Friday, after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article. It also found the BBC's actions were not in good faith and the corporation had not acted in a fair and reasonable way. Mr Adams' legal team said the verdict of the jury was a 'full vindication' for their client while the BBC said it was 'disappointed' with the outcome. Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Co Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent over 20 years. Mr Dooley told RTE's This Week programme that it was a verdict which would make journalists 'pause for reflection'. He said: 'The first thing we should say is Gerry Adams was entitled to take his case. 'But it does have profound implications for the practise of journalism and I think it has implications both in terms of defamation law but also for me in terms of journalism in Northern Ireland and the relationship between Sinn Fein and journalists in Northern Ireland.' Speaking outside court on Friday, Mr Adams said taking the case was 'about putting manners on the British Broadcasting Corporation'. He added: 'The British Broadcasting Corporation upholds the ethos of the British state in Ireland, and in my view it's out of sync in many, many fronts with the Good Friday Agreement.' Mr Dooley said: 'I found that a chilling comment actually. He referred to putting manners on the BBC, to me that means putting them back in their box. 'The reality is that Spotlight has, for over 40 years, done some of the most amazing investigative journalism. 'Margaret Thatcher tried to ban Spotlight because of their coverage of Gibraltar Three, they exposed Kincora at the heart of the British establishment, recently they did work on Stakeknife, and in fact the Sinn Fein mayor of Derry led the campaign to save BBC Radio Foyle news service. 'I found the attitude quite chilling but also unfair and unreasonable in the circumstances.' Mr Dooley said that Mr Adams was a figure of 'huge significance' to journalists, historians and academics and had 'influenced the shape of history of Northern Ireland'. He added: 'On that basis, any journalist has a right, any academic, to question and probe.' He said the case underpinned the need for a review of defamation laws in Ireland. He said: 'First of all we need to look at the defence of honest opinion and how you square that circle in the context of journalists' right to protect sources, it is a real difficulty. 'For many years the NUJ was in favour of retaining juries. I have now reached the conclusion in defamation cases that juries are not appropriate. 'One of the reasons is we will never know why the jury reached this decision. 'If, as in Northern Ireland, had Mr Adams taken his case in Northern Ireland, the case is heard before judges, you have the benefit of a written judgment, you have the benefit of a detailed explanation of the reason why a verdict is given. 'That provides an insight and a guide. 'Here we don't know.' Mr Dooley also pointed out that proceedings in the case had been running since 2016. Former Sinn Fein member Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Co Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent over 20 years. In the Spotlight programme broadcast in September 2016, an anonymous source given the pseudonym Martin claimed the shooting was sanctioned by the political and military leadership of the IRA and that Mr Adams gave 'the final say'. In 2009, the dissident republican group the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing and a Garda investigation into the matter remains ongoing. Mr Adams had described the allegation as a 'grievous smear'.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Gerry Adams' BBC manners remark is 'chilling', Irish NUJ secretary says
Gerry Adams' claim that his libel case was about "putting manners" on the BBC was chilling and unfair under the circumstances, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has former Sinn Féin leader won €100,000 (£84,000) in damages over a BBC story about the murder of a British agent.A court in Dublin found the 76 year old was defamed in a BBC NI Spotlight programme broadcast in 2016 and an accompanying online article, in which an anonymous contributor alleged he sanctioned the 2006 murder of Denis NUJ's Seamus Dooley said the case showed the need for reform of Ireland's defamation laws. He added that the public would never know why the jury made its to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, Mr Dooley said Gerry Adams was entitled to take his case but the verdict has "profound implications for the practice of journalism and I think it has implications both in terms of defamation law but also for me in terms of journalism in Northern Ireland and the relationship between Sinn Féin and journalists in Northern Ireland". The director of the BBC in Northern Ireland said the implications of Mr Adams' court win were "profound".Adam Smyth said the BBC's legal team had warned the jury's decision in the high-profile case could "hinder freedom of expression". The trial at the High Court in Dublin heard four weeks of evidence from 10 witnesses, including Mr Adams and BBC NI reporter Jennifer O' jury found words used in the programme and accompanying article meant Mr Adams sanctioned and approved Mr Donaldson's also found the BBC did not report the allegations in good faith and settled on €100,000 in 11-person jury came to its findings after six hours and 49 minutes of deliberations. Speaking outside court on Friday, Mr Adams said taking the case was "about putting manners on the British Broadcasting Corporation".He added: "The British Broadcasting Corporation upholds the ethos of the British state in Ireland, and in my view it's out of sync in many, many fronts with the Good Friday Agreement."Mr Dooley said: "I found that a chilling comment actually. He referred to putting manners on the BBC, to me that means putting them back in their box."The reality is that Spotlight has, for over 40 years, done some of the most amazing investigative journalism."He said Margaret Thatcher tried to ban Spotlight over its coverage of the Gibraltar Three and that it also "exposed Kincora at the heart of the British establishment" and noted its work on Stakeknife."I found the attitude quite chilling but also unfair and unreasonable in the circumstances."Mr Dooley said Mr Adams was a figure of "huge significance" to journalists, historians and academics and had "influenced the shape of history in Northern Ireland"."On that basis, any journalist has a right, any academic, to question and probe," he added. Defamation law reform Mr Dooley said the case underpinned the need for a review of defamation laws in Ireland."First of all we need to look at the defence of honest opinion and how you square that circle in the context of journalists' right to protect sources, it is a real difficulty," he said."For many years, the NUJ was in favour of retaining juries. I have now reached the conclusion in defamation cases that juries are not appropriate."Mr Dooley said having a jury means you do not find out how a decision is made. He added that if the case had of been taken in Northern Ireland, it would have been heard before judges and "you have the benefit of a written judgment, you have the benefit of a detailed explanation of the reason why a verdict is given". "That provides an insight and a guide. Here we don't know." Who was Denis Donaldson?
Belfast Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Gerry Adams' ‘putting manners on BBC' remark ‘chilling', NUJ man says
©Press Association Gerry Adams' claim that his libel case against the BBC was about 'putting manners' on the broadcaster has been described as 'chilling' by a senior union figure. Seamus Dooley, the Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), also said the high profile case showed the need for reform of Ireland's defamation laws, saying the public would never know why the jury made its decision.
