Cahill says letter proves IRA investigation

Peter Madden says Máiría Cahill wrote to the IRA complaining it had not conducted a proper investigation into her rape allegations

Máiría Cahill has said a letter she wrote to the IRA army council in 2000 proves the paramilitaries had undertaken an internal investigation of her rape allegations.

The solicitor representing four people who allegedly were involved in that investigation claimed this morning that she wrote to the army council, complaining that it had not conducted a proper investigation.

Peter Madden said the letter is included in prosecution papers for a trial against the four that did not go ahead.

Ms Cahill has said she was raped as a teenager in 1997 by a senior member of the IRA and later interrogated by the IRA.

During that interrogation she said she was brought face-to-face with her alleged abuser.

Over a decade later, the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland sought to pursue charges of sex abuse and terrorist-related offences in three interlinked cases.

Ms Cahill indicated she was not going to give evidence. Five individuals were acquitted of all charges.

Ms Cahill made the allegations in a BBC Spotlight programme earlier this month.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Madden said: "This was part of the prosecution case ... this is not a secret document. What she said in this letter (was) she was complaining, because she'd written to the IRA previously and they hadn't responded.

"Now, she's written a letter to the IRA army council - believe it or not - and what she says is, she complains about the fact that the IRA didn't actually carry out a proper investigation."

In a statement this afternoon, Ms Cahill said a letter she wrote at the time proved that the IRA had undertaken an internal investigation of her claims.

She said her main concern in writing to the paramilitaries was to ensure that her alleged abuser would not have access to other children.

She said the letter proved there was an IRA investigation, something Sinn Féin had repeatedly denied in recent weeks.

Mr Madden said on Morning Ireland: "She wrote to the IRA army council and also implies that she co-operated in the investigation ... The letter's in the prosecution documents, it's on page 600 or something like that in the trial papers and I'm surprised that the BBC Spotlight didn't refer to it. It's a very important document.

"She also has made a note to the IRA investigation team setting out what her allegations are. In other words, it would seem from these papers that she was co-operating with an IRA investigation."

Ms Cahill made an initial response via Twitter.

In a second tweet, she said Mr Madden's interview had "opened up another can of worms."

Mr Madden said Ms Cahill's credibility could only be properly tested in a court of law.

He also indicated his clients would be taking legal action against Spotlight.

RTÉ News has contacted Mr Madden requesting a copy of the letter he referred to during the Morning Ireland interview.