Ó Caoláin critical of Ahern response on RUC
``Absolutely unacceptable'' is how Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin described the current recruiting campaign initiated by RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and which has included advertisements in newspapers and on television throughout Ireland. The TD was also critical of Dáil comments on the RUC from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Ó Caoláin was speaking during Taoiseach's Questions in the Dáil on Tuesday, 6 March. Bertie Ahern had stated that the recruiting campaign was initiated by Flanagan, ``not with our agreement, which he did not need, but it was not the way we would have done things. That said, we have not made a big issue of it either''.
Addressing questions to Ahern, Ó Caolain said: ``On 28 February, Deputy Quinn raised a question in this Chamber along the same lines that the Taoiseach has just addressed, as to whether Sinn Féin wanted to find an acceptable form of policing in the North of Ireland. Will the Taoiseach - and Deputy Quinn, also, when he has the opportunity - acknowledge that this is an issue that Sinn Féin takes with the utmost seriousness?
``The communities that support our party have borne the brunt of sectarian policing by the RUC over the past 80 years. They need and demand a representative and accountable police service. Am I right in understanding from the Taoiseach's earlier remarks, that he agrees that this issue must be got absolutely right and that the actions of the RUC Chief Constable in proceeding with the recruiting advertisements when this matter remains unresolved is unacceptable? In addition, the policing boards that were required under the same British legislation have not yet been established. Even in terms of the British Government's own policing legislation the decision to proceed was absolutely unacceptable. I would like to know the Taoiseach's position on both those points.''
In response, Bertie Ahern said: ``It is essential to get it absolutely right but, as Deputy Ó Caoláin would agree, the phrase ``absolutely right'' must include everybody. However, it is not easy to get it absolutely right for everybody. For example, in getting it absolutely right for somebody, one might get it totally wrong for someone else. As the Deputy knows, that is part of the dilemma.''
In a later reply to another TD, the Taoiseach stated: ``When members of the RUC served in Bosnia and elsewhere, they received training at Templemore. That is an acceptable example of co-operation and it should continue.''
Commenting later, Ó Caoláin said: ``The Taoiseach's muddied responses on the issue of the RUC and policing will cause considerable concern. His comments regarding the training of the RUC at the Garda Training Centre in Templemore which he described as ``acceptable'' and that it should continue, adds insult to injury and will leave the nationalist community in the North perplexed and feeling betrayed once more.
``Surely the Taoiseach must acknowledge that the decision of the RUC Chief Constable to proceed with his recruitment campaign in advance of agreement between the parties and without adherence to the limited checks proscribed in the British government policing legislation, is unacceptable. Recruitment ads have been placed in publications throughout Ireland, including local weekly newspapers, creating a false image and in pretence that all has been resolved.
``Nothing has been resolved. The RUC remains as it has always been. A change of name does not disguise this fact.
``The Taoiseach has again shown his propensity to equivocate when he should be giving his wholehearted backing to the demands of all those, including Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Catholic bishops and other concerned commentators, who have pointed out consistently the inadequacies of the British government's recent policing legislation.''
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