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SINN FÉIN MLA Conor Murphy has again refused to state publicly that murdered south Armagh man Paul Quinn was not a criminal.
Northern Ireland’s finance minister has been under pressure to make the public statement after retracting a claim he made 13 years ago that Quinn had been involved in criminality.
Quinn’s mother Breege has repeatedly called for Murphy to say publicly that her son was not a criminal, saying the slur on his name has compounded her family’s grief.
The 21-year-old from Cullyhanna was beaten to death by a gang of around a dozen men in a farm shed across the border near Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, in 2007.
His family blame members of the IRA, but Sinn Féin has long denied republican involvement.
The killing became one of the talking points of the Irish general election as Quinn’s mother called for the former Newry and Armagh MP to be removed from his post as a minister over the comments.
Sinn Fáin faced criticism from political rivals over its response to the killing.
Murphy was urged by Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler and TUV leader Jim Allister during a Stormont Assembly sitting on 10 February to make a public apology to the Quinn family.
He responded then: “I made a statement last week and I have written to that family.”
Yesterday, as he appeared at his first press conference at Stormont since the row, Murphy refused to publicly state Quinn was not a criminal.
“I made a statement in relation to that, I have written to the family and my offer to meet the family remains, I am happy to meet them at any time,” he said.
Breege Quinn has said she will not meet Murphy until he publicly states her son was not a criminal.
When pressed by the PA news agency, Murphy added: “I made a statement, I am content to meet the family at any time and discuss these matters with them.”
In a statement issued earlier this month, Murphy apologised for his previous remarks and “unreservedly” withdrew them.
The MLA said he had “consistently and unreservedly condemned” Quinn’s murder.
“Those who murdered him are criminals and need to be brought to justice. I repeat my call on anyone with any information on his murder to bring it to the Gardaí or the PSNI.
“I very much regret comments I made in the aftermath of Paul’s murder which have added to the grief felt by the Quinn family,” the statement noted.
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My gf was walking just in front of me in madrid using the metro and a boy and girl no older than 14 tried to dip her bag. Such a boot up the hole they got . Ireland 1 -spain 0
There was a wonderfully insightful show called ‘scam city’ made by the good people of nat geo. Presented by an irish bloke who travels the world investigating and revealing the elaborate and dangerous scams in operation. From the lowly card shark to organised crime. All the episodes are on youtube and he rated barcelona the worst place of all for pickpockets. The problem is beyond endemic
Hand it to the French ! They are great at downing tools to support a cause…..we should take a few leaves from their books !!
Damn straight Michael. Moving back to Dublin in a few months after 5 years in France, going back to university before hopefully returning one day. We gripe about life in France the same as one would anywhere, but overall a fantastic country to live in with a very particular but endearing people.
I was completely safe in Paris, being on a bike tour and looking a little rough around the edges. That was until I refused to give up my seat to a local for him and his girlfriend to sit down in McDonalds. Boxed me in the face after I repeatedly refused to move. Then sat eating his meal knowing the cops were after being called. His girlfriend spat on the police station floor and gave out to me for not being able to speak french in the lobby, after which I was brought upstairs away from her. Aside from that… Paris is a lovely place.
Heard one of the security guards had an ART attack!!
red thumbs WTF
Not Ireland,was in Italy recently and noticed very few gangs in the train station.This was not the case a couple of years ago when I felt very unsafe.
Only back from there myself and a Roma went to grab my bag as I boarded the train, I slapped his hand away and shouted at him and after I got on board he just stayed there looking for another person to dip.
But AArum, will you not respect their ‘Culture’?!
It’s in their culture to steal from you so you should just put up with it :)
I disagree… Depends where you go. I was in Naples last week and it was horrendous. Rescued an American woman getting horrible abuse from down and outs.
Bugger thier culture. It’s our culture to retaliate. Sc*mbags , all of them
Do not be surprised if one day in the future another “Funny little man with a moustache from Austria” comes along with a “solution” to the Roma “problem” .
We should be so lucky…
And our city scangers are just lovely….!
#Godwins Law
Distraction tactics are favoured, Reuters reporting that some bird called Mona is in on the gig!!!
Felt sp unsafe in Paris. I’ve been there back in 2008 and I saw one city. Just came back from there last week and I was so disappointed on how it has changed. It’s dirty, lots of people begging and this feeling to be aware of the pickpockets all the time. Same here in Dublin where I got robbed 3 times in a short period of time… Whatever the reason is its getting worse and worse :(
Was there last week for a few days and agree with your comment. Too many beggars and roma’s
God…. even the robbers are emigrating…. at least they ve developed some taste and gone more upmarket. ..the louvre is much better than the board walk or Talbot St. …
I am so annoyed that The Journal censors any comments that are to do with references to Romanian criminals,pickpockets and muggers . It’s as though WE are being censored . Whatever happened to free speech.. Please allow the truth to be aired.
Romanian criminals? Are you for real? No wonder they censor your posts!
Roma gypsies does not stand for Romanian Gypsies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_(Romani_subgroup)
And travellers are not Irish. Right.
Nice one Fin Tastic, hiding behind a pseudo name,wonder where you are from. Another one afraid of publishing the truth. Only when the onslaught arrives will you wake up and smell the coffee.
Luas ticket “inspectors” ought to do the same until the scanger problem on trams is dealt with.
I was in Paris recently with my wife and we were plagued with would be pickpocketers at every tourist attraction. The were mostly roma girls who were very aggressive . Great city anyway and very enjoyable trip.
I’d bust their f*%kin heads in!
Get a cross body bag or a satchel and always keep it in front of you. Over 20 years travel experience on 4 continents including cities like Paris and Barcelona, sometimes as a solo traveller, and (touch wood) never been as much as hassled. If you wear a backpack, you might as well offer your valuables around on a plate.
+1 I was in Paris just before Easter & there was a lot of Roma gypsies about but they weren’t any more or less annoying than the Roma gypsies on our streets in Ireland. I had an across body bag with me & felt really safe. Paris is amazing.
People should be wary all the time & especially in big cities..
A friend of mine always uses a back-pack, but keeps both zips locked with mini pad-locks…keys are around her neck under her clothes.
Seeing the confusion on a pick-pockets face was quite funny as they tried their luck while getting on the underground in London.
I’m a cross-body bag person though…
Their called the Labour Party in Ireland.
They are….
This is a record! About 30 comments before someone linked it to Irish politics!
It was nice while it lasted. Let’s just get the elephant in the room….
FUGGIN BONDHOLDERZZZZZZ
Fagan and the artful Dodger made it to France. Got to pick a pocket or two.
Robbng the Irish taxpayer every week collecting their dole as well.
Bit of a coincidence that they go on strike on the same day as Paris st Germains biggest match of their history in champs league tonight. They’re picketing from the boozer I’d say :-P
Absolutely agree about Naples. Desperate place. Filthy and Roma gypsies all over the place they ride the trains and everything, exactly what we have in the streets of Dublin just more if them. Did not see one cop the place is run by the mafia. Allegedly. All the local people on the trains were lovely telling us to watch our bags. Have travelled many places in the world and it was the most unsafe we ever felt.
Great comment. I made a somewhat similar comment earlier about the same problem in Dublin , especially around Grafton St area but it was deleted by the powers that be @ the Journal. Let not the truth be known..
The demographic in question was named on most other news outlets, but oh no, not here…
Exactly, next the Journal will be denying the holocaust ever took place.
In wonder where the pickpockets hail from…..
Sligo
Did they walk out through Louvered doors?
Visit Antwerp on a fairly regularly and see very very few beggars but police are very evident.
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