Dublin Mid-West Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin said in a WLR radio interview that Mr Adams should apologise for the offence caused. Party leader Mary Lou McDonald has been silent on the issue. He did what he did with a good heart and ultimately I think this video was withdrawn and that was the right thing.”Īsked if it is Sinn Féin’s position that Mr Adams should not have to apologise, Mr Cullinane said: “Yes.” “The party position is Gerry Adams did not set out to cause any offence. I stand by what I said yesterday,” he said. “I gave my view when I was asked yesterday. On Wednesday he said the issue had “moved on” and the organisation that made the video had withdrawn it. Waterford TD David Cullinane previously said that Mr Adams had nothing to apologise for. The comments came after a senior Sinn Féin TD said the party’s position is that Gerry Adams should not have to apologise for his role in the video following complaints from victims of the Provisional IRA. “I am the vice-president of the party and I am saying that I think that Gerry set out to do a light-hearted video to support a charity, he’s retracted the video and I think that’s enough said.”

He would never have set out to intentionally harm or hurt anyone.

In this instance it was about supporting a charity and I don’t think he has anything to apologise for. Ms O’Neill said on Wednesday: “ Gerry Adams regularly does videos, light-hearted videos, to support charities. The video featured Mr Adams in a comedy sketch in which he sings: “Tis the season to be jolly, tiocfaidh ár lá, lá, lá, lá.” It also shows him visiting a house as a carol singer and the homeowner repeats a slogan used by Mr Adams in August 1995 in relation to the Provisional IRA: “They haven’t gone away, you know.” Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill has defended her former party leader’s “very Gerry Christmas” video and card initiative, and said she does not feel Mr Adams has anything to apologise for.

Ask this old house season 17