Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson has issued an apology for comments she made on social media, claiming the Troubles victims’ pension would mainly benefit ‘those who fought Britain’s dirty war in Ireland.’
The MLA said her comments were ‘clumsy’.
Her tweet has since been deleted.
“It was never my intention to cause them any hurt,” she said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
“All victims of the conflict deserve acknowledgement of their pain and loss and I support them in their efforts to get their pension.”
Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said it was right that Martina Anderson had apologised.
After the post was deleted, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill posted on Twitter to say she remained ‘committed to delivering a Victims Payment scheme.’
She said the scheme should be ‘needs based and open to all who were seriously physically and psychologically injured during the conflict.’
— Martina Anderson MLA (@M_AndersonSF) August 26, 2020