Sinn Fein has scolded the Irish government over its Covid strategy, despite its own unrepentant role in the Bobby Storey funeral

Once again, Sinn Fein led the attack on government strategy but is the Sinn Fein position justified?

A comparison with SF’s own record in government in Northern Ireland in providing the correct public health messaging is very revealing.

On June 30 Sinn Fein’s leading figures from both parts of Ireland attended Bobby Storey’s funeral in Belfast. This was no ordinary funeral. It was a political event paying tribute to a key figure in the IRA’s twenty-five-year long terrorist campaign.

Pictures of the event clearly show Sinn Fein deputy first minister Michelle O Neill, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty and many others clearly breaching the Northern Ireland power sharing executive’s regulations on Covid 19, which had just been approved by the NI Executive including Michelle O Neill and other SF ministers.

The other four parties in the power sharing administration immediately called on O Neill to apologise and stand aside.

She refused, claiming in a statement that she had “kept to the regulations”.

Finally, 72 days after the funeral, at a joint press conference with DUP first minister Arlene Foster on September 10, she stated that she accepted that the public messaging about the pandemic had been seriously undermined by the controversy.

However, she did not resign nor did she use the word ‘apologise’ for her behaviour.

Her actions were in marked contrast to those involved in the ‘Golfgate’ controversy, in which 80 members of the Oireachtas Golf Society in Co Galway a day after the Irish government tightened its restrictions on gatherings.

Fianna Fail Minister of Agriculture, Dara Calleary and Fine Gael’s Jerry Buttimer who was the Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Seanad both honourably resigned their positions and apologised unreservedly within 48 hours.

SF should cease their cynical opportunistic strategy which is nothing more than political point-scoring at a time of a national emergency when all parties should be constructively working together to protect the lives of our citizens.

• John Cushnahan is a former Fine Gael MEP and Alliance Party leader

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