By Dominic Ponsford
The publishers of the Daily Ireland have instructed their legal team
to issue libel proceedings against Irish justice minister Michael
McDowell.
The move comes a month after the minister claimed in a statement
that Daily Ireland would “re-write history” to favour the Provisional
IRA.
He also likened it to the Nazi party’s daily paper Volkischer Beobachter and said that it was backed by the IRA.
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McDowell
courted more controversy this week when he said Sinn Fein leaders
Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams were on the IRA Army Council.
The claim was rejected by both McGuinness and Adams.
A
spokesman for Belfast-based Daily Ireland, which launched two weeks
ago, said: “The proceedings come after the minister refused to withdraw
claims of fascism and illegality made against the new paper. These
claims are rubbish, defamatory and dangerous.
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” Daily Ireland is
a totally legitimate project, pioneered by the Andersonstown News
Group, which is being subjected to unsubstantiated and scandalous
allegations in an attempt to put it out of business.
“From the
start, we have said that Daily Ireland would be anti-violence and
pro-peace process and would not be a mouthpiece for anyone.
“Minister McDowell is unwilling to tolerate a newspaper which has a different take on the peace process.”
Daily Ireland publisher Mairtin O’Muilleoir is a former Sinn Fein councillor and the title is avowedly pro united Ireland.
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