merrion street

The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, T.D., made the following statement today:

"I utterly condemn the appalling attacks on the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall in Derry over the past number of days.

The people of Derry are enjoying a successful year as City of Culture and the Memorial Hall had recently been renovated as part of the Apprentice Boys' contribution to those celebrations.

The attacks in Derry come in the wake of other attacks on Orange Halls across Northern Ireland and the violent incidents surrounding the July 12th parades in Belfast.

I totally condemn these attacks which are designed to increase sectarian tensions and provoke violence at a time when we are focussed on building a shared society and attracting inward investment and tourism to Northern Ireland. This was the focus of the discussions I had with the Secretary of State in Dublin on Wednesday. Both Governments and the political leaders in Northern Ireland are determined that attacks such as these will not detract from the good work being carried out at community level."