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20/03/2018
Sinn Fein Senator Suspended Over Brian Stack Tweet
Sinn Fein has suspended Senator Máire Devine after she shared a tweet about a prison officer murdered by the IRA.
Brian Stack, a prison officer, was shot in the neck in Dublin in 1983 and died 18 months after the attack.
Senator Devine shared a tweet which referred to his son Austin Stack, as the "Fianna Fáil son of a sadist prison officer". It has since been deleted.
She has apologised for the hurt caused by her tweet and said: "It was never my intention to cause any distress or hurt, particularly to victims of the conflict. I want to offer my most sincere apologies to the family of the late Brian Stack.
"I accept the decision by the party national chairperson to suspend my membership of Sinn Féin for three months.
"I deeply regret what has happened, and want to profusely apologise for all the offence and hurt caused by my twitter activity."
She has been suspended from the party for three months.
Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle, National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA said: "This is unacceptable behaviour from a Sinn Féin elected representative.
"The Ard Chomhairle has suspended, with immediate effect, Senator Devine from party membership and all party activities for a period of three months. The whip has been removed and Senator Devine will be outside of the Leinster House team for that period.
"Sinn Féin strongly disapproves of what has happened. There can be no excuse for the hurt and offence which has been caused to the Stack family."
(CD/MH)
Brian Stack, a prison officer, was shot in the neck in Dublin in 1983 and died 18 months after the attack.
Senator Devine shared a tweet which referred to his son Austin Stack, as the "Fianna Fáil son of a sadist prison officer". It has since been deleted.
She has apologised for the hurt caused by her tweet and said: "It was never my intention to cause any distress or hurt, particularly to victims of the conflict. I want to offer my most sincere apologies to the family of the late Brian Stack.
"I accept the decision by the party national chairperson to suspend my membership of Sinn Féin for three months.
"I deeply regret what has happened, and want to profusely apologise for all the offence and hurt caused by my twitter activity."
She has been suspended from the party for three months.
Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle, National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA said: "This is unacceptable behaviour from a Sinn Féin elected representative.
"The Ard Chomhairle has suspended, with immediate effect, Senator Devine from party membership and all party activities for a period of three months. The whip has been removed and Senator Devine will be outside of the Leinster House team for that period.
"Sinn Féin strongly disapproves of what has happened. There can be no excuse for the hurt and offence which has been caused to the Stack family."
(CD/MH)
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