Published: Wednesday, 30th June, 2010 5:00pm

Sinn Féin opposes queen's visit

by Michael Cryan

Sinn Féin Deputy Caoimhghin O Caolain.
Pic by==: 97

News in the past week that the Irish and British governments are planning a visit by the Queen to Ireland next year has met with mixed reaction.

Sinn Féin are totally opposed to the proposed visit of the Queen of England to Ireland next year and the party's Dáil leader has described the Taoiseach's welcome as "totally unacceptable".

Cavan/Monaghan TD, Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin, claimed that Brian Cowen had neglected collusion victims but welcomed the commander-in-chief of the British Army. He claimed that the Taoiseach's welcome came when he refused in the Dáil to give a commitment to raise the issue of collusion with the British Prime Minister.

"It is totally unacceptable that the Taoiseach is, on the one hand, welcoming and preparing for a visit to Ireland by the Queen, while on the other hand he refuses to pursue the British Prime Minister and the British government on the issue of collusion."

The Taoiseach refused to give a commitment to Deputy O'Caolain to raise with David Cameron the all-party Dáil motion on collusion passed nearly two years ago. This motion called on the British government to give to an international judicial figure all files in its possession relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of May 1974, in which 33 people died, and other acts of collusion in the 26 Counties during the conflict. Mr. Cowen has admitted that he had failed to raise this with Gordon Browne during his premiership. "While the Saville Report was a welcome development in vindicating the dead of Bloody Sunday it was only the tip of the iceberg in British state killings in Ireland," the Cavan/Monaghan TD added.

In a statement Sinn Féin said: "Until there is complete withdrawal of the British military and the British administration from Ireland, and until there is justice and truth for victims of collusion, no official welcome should be accorded to any officer of the British armed forces of any rank."

Following their meeting in London last week, Brian Cowen and David Cameron agreed that the time was right for a royal visit and the Taoiseach wants to see the official engagement happen before President Mary McAleese leaves office next year. It would be exactly 100 years since the last British royal visit to Ireland, when the queen's grandfather, King George V, travelled to what was then Southern Ireland in 1911.

Please vote on our online poll as to whether the queen should be allowed to visit next year.

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