Varadkar: Pearse Doherty should apologise over Storey funeral attendance

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty, right, listens as former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams speaks during the funeral of Bobby Storey (Liam McBurney/PA)

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty has faced calls to apologise for attending the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey.

The Donegal TD was among a number of the party’s representatives who appeared at the service.

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar welcomed Stormont Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill’s acknowledgement that the controversy undermined the public health messaging around coronavirus.

He said: “While I can understand people paying their respects in the streets, I can’t understand or accept the political rally in Milltown cemetery.

“This was no graveside oration. Mr Storey was cremated on the other side of town.

“It was a political rally in the middle of a pandemic organised by Sinn Féin and other republicans.”

The Fine Gael leader addressed the Dáil on Thursday.

He said: “Deputy Doherty, you spoke at that rally, and I want to know now if you are going to apologise for that and whether you will be held to account for it?

“Will anyone in Sinn Féin be resigning as a consequence of this? Or do you believe that Sinn Féin republicans are some sort of higher caste that don’t have to obey the same laws as anyone else and don’t have to follow the public health guidance?”

Mr Doherty did not acknowledge his comments, which prompted Mr Varadkar to suggest a debate on the incident.

Sinn Féin has criticised those gathered at an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Co Galway recently despite the pandemic.