DONEGAL TD Padraig MacLochlainn says Queen Elizabeth must apologise for the death of murdered Buncrana councillor Eddie Fullerton and other atrocities carried out by the British Army when she attends a dinner at Dublin Castle tonight.
However the Sinn Fein politician has also condemned those who took part in rioting and planted hoax bombs during the Queen’s visit to Ireland.
He said the distraction of those taking part in violence on the streets of Dublin should not cloud over the fact that there are legitimate concerns about the visit.
He added the visit may well may a contribution to peace between the two islands.
But he said families like the Fullertons needed to hear an apology for their father, brother, husband and friend who was gunned down in May, 1991.
Nobody has ever been charged with the Donegal councillor and father of six’s murder which was carried out by the loyalist group the UDA.
It has always been thought the that British intelligence forces colluded with the UDA in the murder.
Deputy MacLochlainn said “There needs to be an acknowledgement. Irish republicans have accepted their responsibility for the hurt and pain caused in the conflict.
“But the British state need to accept that they were responsible for the Dublin and Monaghan bombings , that they were responsible for the assassination of Eddie Fullerton in his home in Buncrana.
“They were centrally involved in many, many, many hundreds of deaths and that needs now to be acknowledged,” he said.
He said the Queen must acknowledge the British role in the conflict and take shared responsibility then that would be a big contribution towards keeping the peace.
Having visited both Croke Park and the Guinness Brewery in Dublin today, many see tonight’s address by Queen Elizabeth as the most historical point in her four day visit here.
It is believed she will make some historic announcement but it is not know if she will go as far as to apologise for the deaths of Irish people at the hands of the British as demanded by Deputy MacLochlainn.
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