CLARE TD Violet Anne Wynne angrily rejected a claim by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on Wednesday that Sinn Féin is a sectarian party and that it doesn’t have any Protestant TDs, saying that she is herself a Protestant.
“Leo Varadkar’s constant attempts to score political points by spouting untruths and trying to demonise political opponents is getting tiresome.
“While nobody in Sinn Féin has ever made an issue of my religious views, it is not acceptable for the Tánaiste to do so.
“On national radio today, he said there are no Protestant TDs in our party. That is a lie. I am a Protestant and I am proud to be a Sinn Féin TD. The Tánaiste should immediately withdraw and apologise for his hurtful remarks,” said Ms Wynne
The two had an exchange on Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, in which Ms Wynne wrote “I am a protestant and I am proud to be a representative for Sinn Féin. Changing facts is not the change that people voted for!!”
Responding, Mr Varadkar wrote “I was not aware of that. I stand corrected.” He stopped short of apologising.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.