Sinn Féin TD criticises party colleague's tweet about Joan Burton
Sent File About Ago A Mary Colleagues Nearly Sinn Browne Johnny Mythen From Tweet Party Féin Has Picture: Decade Td Faced A Criticism
A leading Sinn Féin TD has criticised a tweet from a party colleague which called on a female TD to "burn at the stake" when posted in 2012.
Aengus Ó Snodaigh was speaking after a tweet from his colleague and Wexford TD Johnny Mythen from 2012 resurfaced after widespread criticism of a newspaper cartoon which depicted Mary Lou McDonald as a witch. Mr Ó Snodaigh said the tweet wass inappropriate and should be removed or deleted.
The cartoon in the received considerable criticism but many have since pointed to Mr Mythen’s tweet posted involving then Labour Social Protection Minister Joan Burton.
Mr Mythen criticised her for cutting welfare payments during a time of austerity and went on to say: “When Joan of Arc Burton is being burnt at the stake, I’d say she needn’t bother calling the fire brigade.”
Speaking at a press conference at Leinster House, Mr O Snodaigh said: “I appeal to everybody, including my own colleagues, that if there are comments that they've made in the past and are inappropriate, they should be removed or deleted. We shouldn't go down the road of those sorts of attacks."
He continued, “People shouldn't be under that kind of attack by anybody, whether it's your political opposition, or whether it's just Joe soap or Josephine soap anonymously online."
Speaking about the cartoon, which accompanied a column by Eoghan Harris, Mr Ó Snodaigh said: “Cartoons can be taken as very childish, that's a matter for the Independent Newspapers Group in going down the road of being childish in their approach to politics.”
A comment was sought from Mr Mythen.