Republic's RTE view on the Residents Groups

Resident groups RTÉ widely criticised for Drumcree programme There has been widespread criticism of the decision of RTÉ to show an item on its Prime Time programme in which it alleged that Sinn Féin had orchestrated the opposition to Loyal Order parades in Portadown, Derry, Belfast and elsewhere. The programme, which was shown by RTÉ on Tuesday night (4th March, 2000) quoted from what it alleged was a transcript of remarks made by Gerry Adams to an internal party conference in Athboy, Co Meath last November. It claimed he said: "Ask any activist in the North did Drumcree happen by accident and they will tell you 'no'......three years of work on the Lower Ormeau Road, Portadown, and parts of Fermanagh and Newry, Armagh and Bellaghy, and up in Derry."

The presenter of the programme then went on to prove that the events of the summer was "a direct result of Sinn Féin organising residents' committees from Derry to Newry, from Rosslea to Belfast's Ormeau Road, to oppose the right to march

Supporters of the political wing of the IRA, Sinn Fein, were last night shocked to hear allegations on RTE’s current affairs program, "Prime Time", that Sinn Fein had deliberately orchestrated last summer’s unrest in Northern Ireland. The unrest, which rocked the Province and led to weeks of sporadic rioting, was caused largely as a result of the blocking of traditional Orange church parades by residents groupings across Northern Ireland.

Last night, RTE revealed on Prime Time what the Unionists have been saying since last summer - that the residents groupings were little more than a front for Sinn Fein activism.

As the RTE correspondent, Brendan O’Brien, put it:

"the breakdown in law and order was a direct result of Sinn Fein’s policy of organising residents committees to oppose the right to march"