Kenny weighs in on North policing row

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John Downing Political Correspondent

May 03 2014 12:33 AM

SINN Fein allegations about the Northern Ireland police "acting politically" contradict the party's arguments that the 'PSNI-model' of police supervision should be applied for An Garda Siochana, the Taoiseach has said.

Mr Kenny was speaking before the court decision last night to extend SF president Gerry Adams's detention for another 48 hours to allow further questioning about the abduction and murder of widowed mother-of-10 Jean McConville in 1972.

Politicians of all parties in Ireland and Britain repeated their rejection of Sinn Fein assertions that the timing of Mr Adams's detention was influenced by efforts to halt gains in local and European elections later this month.

A Sinn Fein spokesman insisted that the party's activists have been galvanised and united by the events since Wednesday and this would be shown by an intensified canvass over the holiday weekend.

"We are even more determined that they will not alienate our supporters. It is aimed at inflicting political damage on Sinn Fein," a party spokesman said in Dublin.

But Mr Kenny said Sinn Fein had for a long time placed great emphasis on the progress made on policing in the North, with the PSNI shaping into an example for others.

Government sources last night said this contrasted with Sinn Fein comments recommending the PSNI model of police supervision as a remedy for controversies in An Garda Siochana over the past 18 months.