Sinn Féin’s move to stand down their party organisation in a Dublin constituency smacks of window-dressing and is a desperate bid to deflect from events in Belfast recently, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Senator Mary Seery-Kearney said the timing of the standing down of Sinn Féin’s Dublin South West organisation “is a cynical ploy to deflect from the actions of the party leadership in having complete disregard for their responsibilities for public safety in the midst of a global pandemic and its attendant social distancing requirements.
“They also want to distance themselves from the shameful images of associates brandishing weapons in gatherings that took place following the funeral of convicted IRA member Bobby Storey. “Councillor Paddy Holohan was allegedly suspended for five months by the party in February following his offensive and dangerous remarks. “However, throughout his time at council meetings during that suspension period, he sat with his SF colleagues, he was aided by them, supported by them and voted with them. There was no outward appearance of any sanction being taken against him, and certainly none that his party colleagues subscribed to. “Upon his alleged return from the cold, their first action was to propose and second Cllr Holohan as Mayor.
“Therefore the Sinn Fein councillors didn’t consider themselves distanced from his sanctioning by the leadership. If indeed there was any actual sanctioning or action by the leadership taken at all,” Senator Seery-Kearney said.
