Laois TD Brian Stanley has issued an apology over a Tweet he posted – which he has since deleted.
On Saturday, the Sinn Fein Deputy made reference to the Kilmichael Ambush in 1920 and the Narrow Water Massacre in 1979.
In a Tweet, he said: “the 2 IRA operations that taught the elite of d British army and the establishment the cost of occupying Ireland. Pity for everyone they were such slow learners”.
38 people died between the two events.
Eighteen British soldiers were killed at Warrenpoint, while 17 were killed during the War of Independence incident at Kilmichael, alongside three IRA men – and the Tweet provoked an angry reaction online.
DUP leader, and Northern Ireland First Minister, Arlene Foster, hit out at Mr Stanley’s Tweet and said she would be writing to the Ceann Comhairle.
She said: “I will be writing to the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil about this shameful tweet.
“Although deleted, it is outrageous that someone with such warped views can hold a senior position in the Dáil.
“SF talk about respect & equality but there’s not much sign of respect for victims.”
In a statement issued to the Irish Times through the Sinn Fein Press Office, Mr Stanley, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee said: “I apologise for the content of an inappropriate and insensitive tweet I sent yesterday.”
While a spokesman for the party also told the paper: “We note that Brian Stanley has deleted a tweet that was inappropriate and insensitive, and that he has apologised.
“We all have a responsibility in this Decade of Centenaries to remember and commemorate the past in a respectful manner.”
I will be writing to the Ceann Comhairle of the Dáil about this shameful tweet. Although deleted, it is outrageous that someone with such warped views can hold a senior position in the Dáil. SF talk about respect & equality but there’s not much sign of respect for victims. pic.twitter.com/dqMdWLI4rp
— Arlene Foster #We’llMeetAgain (@DUPleader) November 29, 2020
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