A SINN FÉIN MP has apologised for any offence caused by a Twitter post in which he described revelations on last night’s BBC Spotlight programme as “a load of rubbish”.
Franice Molloy, an MP for Mid Ulster, described the programme as a “joint Indo bluesh.. production” in a tweet that was deleted this morning after criticism from abuse victim Mairia Cahill.
Last night’s programme saw Paudie McGahon, an alleged victim of IRA abuse, claim that he was abused by a volunteer when he was 17 and later subjected to an IRA-convened kangaroo court.
Shortly after the programme aired on BBC One Northern Ireland last night, Molloy sent this subsequently deleted tweet:
It was criticised by Cahill, whose own story of abuse, first aired on Spotlight last year, has caused huge controversy for Sinn Féin in recent months:
The tweet remained online up until this morning when it was deleted.
Molloy has now tweeted a link to his statement on the Sinn Féin website.
In a statement issued this morning, Molloy said: “I apologise for any offence my post caused to Paudie McGahon or any victim of abuse. I hope that justice is served and the appropriate support delivered to Mr McGahon.
Sinn Féin’s priority is to support victims of abuse whether that abuse is historical or contemporary and we will support victims in their efforts to get truth and justice.
“There is a currently a Garda investigation into these allegations. These matters are best dealt with in the justice system rather than trial by television and it is my hope that justice will be done.”
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