Jim Wells: Sinn Fein criticised Twelfth decorations in Rathfriland yet is silent about GAA slogan on reservoir wall in Kilcoo

The only ‘crime’ of local loyalists was to erect the flag of the country on the tower and paint the top red, white and blue, but the Sinn Fein response was more suited to a heinous crime.

Local SF MP, MLAs and councillors have been strangely silent about the graffiti which has been daubed on the wall of the Lough Island Reavy reservoir in support of the local Kilcoo GAA team.

It would appear that painting Northern Ireland Water property in support of one culture is vandalism whilst daubing a reservoir wall owned by the same body with a pro GAA slogan is acceptable to SF.

I have little knowledge about the GAA but I do accept that the local team has considerable support in the Kilcoo area.

Equally the Orange Institution has a large membership living up the road in Rathfriland.

I understand that SF have been approached and asked to support the removal of the slogan on the reservoir wall as the final that Kilcoo were involved in is over.

So far they have been very quiet in comparison to their outrage in July.

I will be calling upon NI Water to remove the slogan on the wall.

Jim Wells, DUP MLA, South Down