Ahern and UDA hold “historic” gathering
Representatives from the banned Loyalist paramilitary outfit, the Ulster Defence Association, met with the Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last night, in what was described as an “historic” encounter.
A five-man delegation from the Ulster Political Research Group met the Irish Prime Minister in Dublin for an hour-long “amicable” gathering.
Among those present was the Ulster Defence Association’s South Belfast Commander Jackie McDonald.
Frank McCoubrey, former deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, councillors Frankie Gallagher and Tommy Kirkham, and prisoners’ spokesman Stanley Fletcher also joined proceedings.
Under discussion was the UDA’s cease-fire and loyalist prisoners in Maghaberry Prison, Co Antrim, according to spokesman Tommy Kirkham.
Kirkham, a Newtownabbey councillor, said: “It certainly was historic, we came down and voiced the concerns of the loyalist community to the Taoiseach.
“He said he would work with us in the future and today is only the start of a whole series of meetings and we hope to be back in Dublin again to meet the Taoiseach in a few weeks time.”
Kirkham said Mr Ahern told the meeting that loyalists had a part to play in the upcoming review of the Good Friday Agreement, due to start on February 3 – a position seemingly at odds with Downing Street’s ban on the group.
The group also asked Mr Ahern to back calls for a Prison Ombudsman for Northern Ireland so as to provide a level playing field for loyalist prisoners.
“For some months now there seems to be a pandering to the IRA by the British Secretary of State in Northern Ireland and by the British Prime Minister and it’s only but right we bring those concerns to the Taoiseach,” Kirkham said.
The UDA cease-fire pledge was ignored in October 2001 by the then Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid, who said the outlawed group was implicated in a series of sectarian pipe bombings and murders.
