DUBLIN North West TD Dessie Ellis (SF) has spoken of his frustration following the emergence of claims that he was involved in up to 50 murders carried out by the IRA during the Troubles.
The claims are included in documents written in 1982 by British diplomats, which were recently declassified under the UK’s 30-year-rule on cabinet papers.
According to Deputy Ellis the claims were made at a time when he was seeking asylum in America. He had jumped bail and absconded to America after being arrested at his family home in Finglas and later charged with possession of explosives.
“These claims were made when I was in America where I spent about a year in jail while trying to seek asylum,
? he told Northside People.
“The documents were sent over [by British officials] to prevent me from getting asylum and I ended up being sent back to Ireland where I served over six years behind bars.
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In 1990, Deputy Ellis became the first person to be charged under the 1987 Extradition Act on an explosives charge in England. In protest, he embarked on a hunger strike that lasted 37 days, which ceased only when he had assurances from his lawyers that he would win his case.
“I faced and fought extradition to the UK and all of these claims were mentioned in a trial in the UK where I was acquitted of all of it,
? he explained.
“Ever since then I travelled up and down to the North and I was never stopped so there’s been no attempts to bring any further charges against me.
?
Deputy Ellis firmly believes the claims are being used by other political parties to achieve political gains.
He supports the establishment of an Independent International Truth and Reconciliation Commission to deal with the legacy of conflict in Ireland and says he’s always been
“very open and accepts that a lot of the things that happened in the past shouldn’t have happened
?.
However, he believes that both the British and Irish Governments would be afraid of such a commission.
“I’m not one who’s afraid to face the past and many Republicans over the years saw no other way, but now we do – politics is the way forward,
? he said.
“I’ve never been afraid to defend the peace process even when I got threats because of my involvement with it.
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In a recently released book,
‘Finglas: A People’s Portrait’, which contained a profile and interview with Deputy Ellis, the born and bred Northsider confirmed he was once at one of the
“highest levels
? in the IRA.
He declined to reveal what position he held or if he served on the army council.
“I won’t comment on it because I would be putting it on the record,
? he told the book’s author Samantha Libreri.
When asked by Northside People whether he had any regrets about his past, Deputy Ellis admitted he had, but added he was no different to anyone else.
“I was brought up in a very, very Republican house with a Republican ethos,
? he said.
“At that time there were no proper methods of expression for people in the North and I believe that unfortunately it took so many years of turmoil for that situation to change.
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Deputy Ellis said that while he’s learned to cope with the
“rehashing of old claims
? made in relation to his alleged involvement with 50 murders, his family members find it harder to deal with.
“It was a lot for my family to take and my wife got quite upset,
? he revealed.
“Of course any sort of publicity like that puts a damper on your Christmas but I just get back to business.
“I was democratically elected to the Dáil and I’ve a mandate to protect and defend not just my own constituents but all people and I will continue to work as hard as ever on their behalf.
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