The once savvy Sinn Fein are now a laughing stock

How times have changed. The recent call by their health spokesman in the Dail that ministers and public officials who don’t observe public health guidelines should resign has turned them into a public laughing stock and they must surely forfeit the respect of even their most loyal supporters.

The sub clause of this rule is that it is only applicable if you are in opposition but you receive a special dispensation from on high if your party is in government. Michelle O’Neill is the leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland but her position as deputy first minister takes precedence and she should have put the interests of all the people before party when it comes to social distancing at a republican funeral.

Then Sinn Fein chose not to act honourably and for selfish party political reasons choose to penalise all the deserving unfortunates who have lived with horrendous injuries for many years to advance their own sectional agenda.

The most apt analogy one can draw is the men on the Titanic preventing the women and children from boarding the lifeboats because they themselves weren’t going to be saved. They could partially and belatedly redeem themselves by paying the costs of the recent court case.

Although each year should witness an improvement in standards and behaviour in business and public etiquette, politics seems immune and each year sees a deterioration in integrity and honour so that is now almost non-existent

Is it any wonder there is such cynicism for politics.

Gerard O’Boyle, Devon

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