Martin McGuinness speaking to the waiting press at the Assembly today
SINN Féin MLA Martin McGuinness has said our society is on a journey from conflict to peace and we all need to work to complete that journey so that violence becomes a thing of the past.
He was speaking after the North’s Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said the IRA’s ruling Army Council still existed but only for political ends and posed no military threat to peace.
She also said that, according on independent assessment of all paramilitary groups, the UVF, UDA and INLA also maintained its military structures.
Speaking after Ms Villiers addressed the House of Commons, Mr McGuinness told a press conference at Stormont Buildings:
“First and foremost, the murders of Jock Davison and Kevin McGuigan are personal tragedies for the families involved and we should be mindful of their grief.
“It is a matter of historical fact that the IRA instructed its members in 2005:
‘to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means’ and ‘not engage in any other activities whatsoever’.
“It is clear the IRA leadership has successfully delivered on this transition from conflict to peace.
“Let me be absolutely clear and unequivocal. Sinn Féin is now the only organisation involved in the Republican struggle and in Republican activism.
“Republicans who support the Good Friday Agreement support the political institutions, support the peace process and don’t represent a threat to anyone in the community.
“There are of course enormous and urgent issues to be dealt with around the existence of armed groups, paramilitaries and criminality.
“We all have a responsibility to deal with these issues to tackle criminality and bring paramilitarism to an end and Sinn Féin will play a full part in this important work.
“We now need to get on with the pressing issues facing the community and the economy; Tory cuts to essential public services and attacks on working families and those on welfare and dealing with the legacy of the past.
“We will work positively and constructively with all the political parties and the two governments to achieve all of this.”
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