Dear Sir,
For individuals who were not of age or present to observe the activities of the Sinn Féin party before the peace process, they now have a chance to experience it. The current operations of the party still mirror its secretive, tightly controlled, mystifying and self-righteous nature. This insight will help cultivate an intergenerational comprehension of why the party is deemed unsuitable for governance in a parliamentary democracy.
On another note, one wonders if Sinn Féin would have taken the same course of action if Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile resided in the Republic and the reported issues were presented to An Garda Síochána. The same query would be valid for a similar scenario involving a Sinn Féin MLA in the NI Assembly. However, it’s interesting to note that a Sinn Féin Senator, residing in Belfast, can opt to exit the party, have his case reported to the law enforcement by the same party and continue to maintain his post, all the while the national parliament remaining oblivious.
Finally, it’s noteworthy that a party once synonymous with the aggressive option of the Armalite and peaceful ballot box would ironically blunder and trip over its own feet as it approaches a general election.
Regards,
David McKenna, Dublin 8.
Martin McDonald, Terenure, Dublin 12.
Chris Fitzpatrick, Dublin 6.