Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has claimed he is not concerned that his former lawyer ordered a review of allegations that he withheld information on his sex abuser brother.
Director of Public Prosecutions Barra McGrory QC called for the probe to be launched amid mounting criticism over what the Louth TD told police about Liam Adams, and when.
Liam Adams will be sentenced on November 5th in Belfast after being convicted of six years of rape attacks on his daughter Aine in the 1970s.
Gerry Adams confirmed yesterday that the current DPP was his solicitor in the past and accompanied him to one interview he gave to police in relation to his brother.
However, the Sinn Féin leader has insisted that he has done nothing wrong.
“I know I committed no offence and I know I did what I considered to be the right thing, and I co-operated fully with the PSNI, with the PPS, with the courts,” he said.
“I gave evidence in the courts. So I don’t have any concerns about that.
“Obviously, I’m concerned that as members of my family pick up the papers this morning and on the back of this press conference will pick up the newspaper tomorrow morning and wonder why there is such an inordinate attention on this and on me.
“So that’s my primary concern. My primary concern isn’t about me.”
Mr McGrory revealed on Monday that he had asked Northern Ireland’s Attorney General John Larkin to examine the case in light of the intense public interest.
The review is expected to last two weeks.
Asked if he was concerned about the Attorney General’s inquiry, Mr Adams said that he “generally goes with the flow”.
The Sinn Fein chief claimed that he is the victim of a political agenda on both sides of the Irish border and questioned whether Matt Baggot, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and Mr McGrory QC had been lobbied for an inquiry.
Mr Adams singled out Democratic Unionists and the main opposition party in the Irish Republic, Fianna Fail.
“I do take exception to the quite despicable lobbying that’s going on,” he said.
“I learned that the DUP, at least some of the DUP, and indeed some in Fianna Fail, are coming at this in a political way.
“So I totally and absolutely reject that. But I try to be measured in how I deal with all of this, to be sensible and reasonable.”
Mr Adams said the DPP ordered the inquiry because of the public interest.
“So if we find that the DUP are lobbying the chief constable, could the DUP be lobbying the Director of Public Prosecutions as well? I don’t know the answer to that question. But it’s a matter for the Attorney General and we’ll let him get on with it,” he said.
Mr Adams first heard in 1987 that his brother had abused his niece.
He was a witness in the first trial, which collapsed earlier this year. He told Belfast Crown Court he first confronted his brother when they met in Buncrana, Co Donegal, in 1987 and that Liam Adams had denied the abuse.
He then revealed that his brother later confessed while they were out walking together in the rain in Dundalk, Co Louth, in 2000.
It is understood he spoke to police about his niece’s allegations in 2007 and again in 2009.
Aine initially reported the abuse to police in 1987 but did not pursue a prosecution as she believed detectives were more concerned in gathering information on Gerry Adams and other members of their family.
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