Sinn Féin suspends senator over tweet

Sinn Féin has suspended a senator for three months after what the party described as “unacceptable Twitter activity” over a murdered prison officer.

Newly elected leader Mary Lou McDonald told members to “think of what you retweet” as she called on elected officials to also apologise promptly when at fault.

Senator Máire Devine had retweeted an offensive tweet relating to Brian Stack, an officer in Portlaoise shot in the neck by the IRA in 1983 and who died later.