Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has described comments made by Fianna Fail TD Eamon O`Cuiv about the murder of Prison Officer David Black as ‘shocking, offensive and incredibly insensitive’.

Mr Nesbitt said:

“Eamon O`Cuiv`s comments are shocking, offensive and incredibly insensitive. For Eamon O`Cuiv to give succour to the terrorists who murdered David Black, in the very week that the Black family have to endure the emotional upheaval of two people being charged in connection with Mr Black`s murder, is beneath contempt. Micheál Martin needs to take Eamon O`Cuiv aside and clarify his position on opposition to terrorism.

“I have previously written to Micheál Martin as the Leader of one of the Republic`s main political parties asking him to confirm if he supported Sinn Fein`s language in describing the Provisional IRA dead as ‘Ireland`s patriot dead’.Regrettably his reply echoed Eamon O`Cuiv`s comments in refusing to accept reality. On that occasion Mr Martin said “it is my view that the failure of the political establishment in Northern Ireland to engage constructively with issues of language, symbolism and the past has been a major contributory factor in the increasingly problematic situation there.

“At a time when the Ulster Unionist Party is striving to create the mutual trust which was promised at the 1998 agreement these comments from Fianna Fail are deeply regressive. However they will not put us off doing what`s right, including offering unequivocal condemnation of terrorist murders.”

Notes to Editors:

Referring to a ‘dirty protest’ in Maghaberry Prison, Eamon O`Cuiv TD said: “David Black was murdered because of the refusal on the part of people in authority to deal with the issues that resulted in a dirty protest that lasted 18 months. One can see the cause and effect.”