Sinn Féin denies profiting from expenses

Sinn Féin is dismissing reports on expenses its members have claimed from the British government.

It has been reported that the party's five MPs - including leader Gerry Adams, and the North's Deputy First Minister Martin Mc Guinness - have claimed more than £300,000 (€337,604) in five years.

West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty has described the reports as "a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the situation."

He said Sinn Féin MPs regularly travel to London on parliamentary business and do not profit from the expenses they claim.

"It is widely known that Sinn Féin MP’s travel regularly to London on parliamentary business and utilise the accommodation that we rent when there," said Doherty.

"We do not purchase properties at public expense and therefore do not profit from the expenses claimed as of right.

"Sinn Féin makes no apology for refusing to sit in the British House of Commons. The party’s abstention position is the one supported by the vast majority of nationalists and republicans in the six counties. We also make no apology for ensuring that those people who vote for Sinn Féin get the same democratic entitlements as everyone else.

"Sinn Féin is unique in that we are the only political party that voluntarily publishes our financial accounts annually in the interest of accountability and transparency. If only other parties would do likewise then the public might have more confidence in their public representatives.

"Today’s story is nothing more than a deliberate attempt by the Tory-led media to misrepresent Sinn Féin in the run up to an election, no doubt in the hope that the spotlight will move away from them."