A Clare TD has received an apology from the Tánaiste after he incorrectly claimed Sinn Féin had no Protestant TDs.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s News at One, Leo Varadkar (FG) took aim at Sinn Féin in the aftermath of half-page advertisements placed in both the New York Times and the Washington Post carried half-page ads under the title ‘A United Ireland – Let the people have their say’.
“I don’t have any objection to Sinn Féin running ads in American newspapers in support of re-unification. What I do have a problem with, is that Sinn Féin is an obstacle to Irish unity. They have a relationship with unionism that is one of mutual hostility, which is a big problem, and they’re sectarian. They’re still very anti-British, they have no Protestant TDs, MLAs or Senators,” the Minister for Enterprise claimed.
Violet-Anne Wynne (SF) was quick out of the blocks to advise the Tánaiste that “I am a protestant and I am proud to be a representative for Sinn Féin. Changing facts is not the change that people voted for”.
In a statement, the Kilrush woman commented, “Leo Varadkar’s constant attempts to score political points by spouting untruths and trying to demonise political opponents is getting tiresome. While nobody in Sinn Féin has ever made an issue of my religious views, it is not acceptable for the Tánaiste to do so”.
Varadkar apologised for his remarks, “I stand corrected,” he tweeted in response to Deputy Wynne. The Fine Gael leader added in a statement, “I did not make any remarks, at all, about Deputy Wynne personally. I was unaware of her religious affiliation and I stand corrected. I fully retract my remark and apologise for any offence caused”.
