Daniel McConnell: PAC chair Stanley escapes with a fool's pardon

Brian Stanley told his committee colleagues that he was 'genuinely sorry' for sending a tweet appearing to laud two separate IRA operations which led to the deaths of nearly 40 British soldiers

Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, apologising for posting a controversial tweet about the IRA murder of 18 British soldiers during the Troubles. Picture: Oireachtas TV/PA Wire

Condemned by the Taoiseach and chastised by the Ceann Comhairle, poor Brian Stanley cut a sorrowful figure as he took to his chair at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday evening.

Amid a firestorm over his crass and stupid statement on Twitter over the weekend, Stanley was in damage control mode.