Taoiseach Micheál Martin has accused Sinn Féin of a “lack of sincerity” and an “overly simplistic” view on resolving the Drumcree dispute.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald previously called on Micheál Martin to tell British prime minister Andy Burnham and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant that they have a responsibility to stop the march on Garvaghy Road.
McDonald and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill, the party’s deputy leader, met Martin to discuss the impasse during the week.
On Saturday, the Taoiseach said he does not agree that the dispute could be solved by telling Burnham to stop the march.
Martin had been criticised at a rally on the Garvaghy Road on Saturday which was held in support of the residents against the Orange Order march.
The rally was organised by residents and featured speeches by McDonald and O’Neill.
There were also boos and chants of “shame” at the mention of the Taoiseach by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín, who accused the Fianna Fáil leader of “standing idly by”.
Tóibín concluded his speech by saying: “They [the Irish Government] have a moral responsibility to be here with you to defend your rights and to make sure that this march never comes on this road again.”
O’Neill and McDonald applauded the remarks.
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Asked about being booed at the rally and the calls for action from Sinn Féin, Martin said: “I met with the leader of Sinn Féin and I met with the First Minister last week, and I worry about their sincerity at times in respect of these issues.
“Because I met them in good faith but the meetings seem to be more about press choreography than substance.
“I just feel that the meeting last week lacked a degree of – at the end of the day – sincerity, because there were comments made before the meeting, there was comments made after the meeting. Every meeting can’t be about a press release.
“They think Drumcree could be sorted by me simply telling Andy Burnham what to do, and that’s it. Now I think that’s overly simplistic, and I don’t agree with them on that.”
Martin said the approach and language used by Sinn Féin would not help “bring about a united Ireland”.
The Taoiseach said it was the Government view the dispute would be resolved through continuing dialogue.
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“We’ve been in close contact all week with the British Government. There have been talks between the community and between the Orange Order. They do not yield a result, there are further legal actions.”
“Everyone needs to be calm, and everybody needs to be very sensitive in terms of what they say right now, because we simply do not want to go back to the visions of the past.”
He said both Governments were “very keen” for mediation and building a foundation for reconciliation.
Meanwhile, the Taoiseach said one football match is not going to get the Israeli government to “change direction” on policies towards Palestinians.
He said a boycott of the Republic of Ireland men’s international team’s next fixture against Israel on Sunday could do harm to Ireland with “no consequential gain” for Palestinians.
Pro-Palestinian groups have called on the FAI and players to scrap the Uefa Nations League fixture over Israel’s war in Gaza and illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Asked if the next game should go ahead, Martin said: “There’s two things I think that we need to bear in mind. One is that if this was to have an impact – I don’t believe it would – it’s actually possible it would do harm to Ireland with no consequential gain in terms of the Palestinians.
“And Ireland will continue to press very hard at every international forum we have to press for the rights of Palestinians.”
Addressing the calls for a boycott, Martin said “there’s been too much pressure put on the players”.
“The FAI and the footballing community took a decision to play the match.
“The FAI did everything to promote the expulsion of Israel from Uefa and didn’t succeed and people are putting undue pressure on the players to unilaterally take a decision in respect of the match.
“I’ve no doubt every footballer playing with Ireland abhors what has happened in Gaza, abhors what’s happening in the West Bank.
“But I believe that Ireland, overall diplomatically, politically, has done everything it possibly can, and continues to do everything we possibly can to put pressure on Israel and indeed others within the European Union and internationally to get Israel to change direction in respect of its policies towards Palestinians – and that’s a very challenging endeavour.
“One football match isn’t going to sort that. We need to be clear-eyed about that. I don’t believe the Israeli government or Prime Minister [Binyamin] Netanyahu cares whether Ireland plays that game or not.” – PA