Updated 22.55pm
THE TAOISEACH HAS “absolutely no problem” meeting the four people who Maíria Cahill claims carried out a ‘kangaroo court’ to deal with her allegations that she was sexually abused by an IRA member.
A spokesperson for Enda Kenny confirmed this evening that he is prepared to meet with the four people named in the BBC Spotlight programme that first sparked the controversy .
Kenny is writing to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams seeking the contact details of the four people to set up a meeting. This follows exchanges in the Dáil last week in which the Taoiseach said he would meet the people “who are named”.
“The Taoiseach has written back to Mr Adams asking him to clarify the names of those who we wants to meet,” a spokesperson said this evening.
Meeting requested
Adams said in a statement that he requested this meeting last week, and that two other Sinn Féin members named in the programme did the same.
Adams accused Kenny of ”seeking to manipulate media reporting of this issue and is being entirely cynical and disingenuous”.
In the Spotlight programme, Cahill said that in 1997, when she was 16, she was subjected to a year-long cycle of sexual abuse and rape by a man believed to be a member of the IRA.
She also claims she was repeatedly questioned by senior members of the organisation about her abuse and was summoned to a meeting with her alleged abuser. The programme named those she accused.
She has implicated Gerry Adams by saying she informed him of her claims. Adams denies Cahill’s version of the conversation they had and has issued legal proceedings against the Spotlight programme.
In the Dáil last week, Adams asked Kenny if he would meet the four people accused of carrying out the ‘kangaroo court’. The taoiseach confirmed during Leaders’ Question in the House he would meet the people “who are named”.
A spokesperson for Kenny said this evening: “The Taoiseach is reasserting his offer to meet with the four people once he has facilitated with their details as to who they are so he can contact them.”
Originally published 5.52pm
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