Sinn Féin MLA apologises for 'dirty war' comment amid Troubles pension controversy

Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson has issued an apology over a tweet she posted around a pension for those injured in Northern Ireland’s troubled past.
She described the compensation scheme as “mainly for those who fought Britain’s dirty war” before later deleting the tweet.
On Wednesday, Ms Anderson “apologised unreservedly for the hurt and offence caused by my tweet to people who suffered serious harm during the conflict here”.
Posting on social media, she added: “My comments were clumsy, were not directed at them and it was never my intention to cause them any hurt.
“All victims of the conflict deserve acknowledgement of their pain and loss, and I support them in their efforts to get their pension.”
Meanwhile, a victims’ group is seeking a meeting with Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long over a payment scheme for the injured.
Ms Long has warned it could take up to 18 months before payments are made, as well as estimating the cost of the scheme at £800m (€890m).
The figure has been questioned by some, including the Wave Trauma Centre, whose chief executive, Sandra Peake, said the majority of those who will qualify for the payments were injured during the 1970s and 1980s and “few will still be receiving a pension in 30 years’ time”.
In July the Executive Office estimated the scheme would cost £165m (€183m).
Ulster Human Rights Watch advocacy manager Axel Schmidt described the 18-month wait for payments as “hard to fathom”, adding that many innocent victims will be “further disappointed and incensed”.