Adams: Social charge is act of terrorism

GERRY Adams, who previously said he was proud of an organisation that murdered 1,700 people during the Troubles, has likened the Universal Social Charge to an “act of gross terrorism”.

Criticism has been heaped on the Sinn Féin president, who has never admitted he was a prominent figure in the IRA, for deliberately using the loaded phrase to describe the levy for health and social services.

He volunteered the analogy on Newstalk’s lunchtime show on the day he accused Fianna Fáil of starting a smear campaign for discussing his links to the paramilitary organisation.