Does Sinn Féin recognise the legitimacy of the Irish State – O’Donovan

Does Sinn Féin recognise the legitimacy of the 1937 Constitution, An Garda Síochána, the Irish Defence Forces and the Special Criminal Court, a Fine Gael Minister has asked.

Minister Patrick O’Donovan, a Fine Gael TD for Limerick County, said it is unprecedented that a newly elected Sinn Féin TD this week accused the Garda Commissioner of being political in his remarks that the IRA Provisional Army Council still oversees Sinn Féin.

Sinn Féin Cavan-Monaghan TD Pauline Tully made the remarks on Northern Sound radio on Monday.

“I cannot recall a time where this has occurred before,” Minister O’Donovan said.

“It is quite unprecedented for a member of Dáil Éireann to make such a remark about the head of An Garda Síochána and to say he is operating on this basis. Sinn Féin needs to disassociate themselves from that comment and Deputy Tully needs to disassociate herself from those comments.”

“This assertion by Deputy Tully also leads to a few other questions that Sinn Féin representatives needs to answer. A simple yes or no response will suffice.

“Do they recognise the legitimacy of this State as laid out in the 1937 constitution?

“Does Sinn Féin recognise the 1937 constitution? Does Sinn Féin recognise An Garda Síochána and its independence from politics?

“Does Sinn Féin recognise there is only one army in this country – Óglaigh na hÉireann – the Irish Defence Forces?

“Does Sinn Féin recognise the Special Criminal Court?

“Sinn Féin say they want change and want to be part of Irish Government. They have a few questions to answer first when it comes to this country and how this State works,” Minister O’Donovan said.