By Sean O’Driscoll

Senator Edward Kennedy has defended his decision not to meet with Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams this St. Patrick’s Day.

Kennedy spokeswoman Laura Capps said that her office had not heard any negative reaction from the Irish community and that most people had been positive.

She said the decision had received a very favorable editorial from the Boston Herald, which had long been a vocal critic of the senator.

Kennedy’s office had earlier said that he would refuse to meet with Adams because of “ongoing criminal activity and contempt for the rule of law” by the IRA.

Capps also confirmed that Kennedy will be meeting with the family of Robert McCartney, the Belfast man who was murdered by IRA members in East Belfast in January.

Senator Hillary Clinton’s office also confirmed that she will be meeting with the McCartney family, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday for a series of meetings, including a White House visit on St. Patrick’s Day, and not with Adams.

Nina Blackwell, Clinton’s press spokeswoman, said that the senator was eager to meet the McCartney family.

Sinn Fein received further bad news on Tuesday, when the McCartney family said that they will be giving a dossier on Robert’s death to President Bush when they meet him in the White House.

The dossier will include a timeline of all the events before, during and after the killing as well as the names of those involve.

Speaking to the powerful New York-based think tank the Council on Foreign Relations last Monday, Adams downplayed the lack of official welcome for his party in Washington.

He said was disappointed not to be going to the White House but said people should not read too much into it.

Congressman Peter King, a longtime friend of Adams, said he would meet with Adams because he wanted Sinn Fein to remain in the peace process. However, he said that is was time for the IRA to stand down if Sinn Fein were to advance politically.