Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley offers apology to those he has 'hurt' with IRA and Leo Varadkar tweets in the Dáil

Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley has apologised in the Dáil for tweets about IRA attacks and the Táinaist Leo Varadkar.

The Chairman of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee, who sat near his party leader, issued a personal statement in the Dáil on Tuesday, December 15.

He first addressed the tweet about the Narrow Water bomb in 1979 and the Kilmichael Ambush in 1920 which he had equated to lessons for 'slow learners.

"I accept that my tweet regarding the ambushes at Kilmichael and Narrow Water was insensitive and that it caused hurt and it caused anger.  Words can do that, and my words did. For that, I am truly sorry," he said.

As for the 2017 about Leo Varadkar on the day he became Taoiseach, Dep Stanley said he was trying to raise the issue of workers rights.

"The point that I was trying to make was “that’s great”, but let’s also focus on advancing workers’ rights and the rights of people on low incomes and economic justice; and issue such as a Living Wage.

"I accept that it was a point that I did not articulate in a very good way, and that the tweet is open to different interpretations. I did try to contact the Tánaiste today to express my apology personally to him and I will do so again following this address.

"Homophobia is abhorrent to me and I deplore prejudice of any kind," he said.

He said he is an ally of LGBT people whom he said he had worked for but accepted that he had hurt.

"As an ally of the LGBT community, I am even more responsible and more accountable.  I hope that those I have hurt accept my apologies and that my colleagues here accept the sincerity of my statement," he said. 

Full text of Statment

Thank you, a Ceann Comhairle, for giving me the opportunity to address the House regarding two tweets of mine that have been the subject of public commentary over the past number of weeks. 

I grew up in an Ireland that was very unequal. Where women, gay people, minority groups of all kinds and nationalists in the Six Counties were treated appallingly. 

I took the decision to join Sinn Féin as I saw it developing as a modern and progressive political party. I committed myself to working to end inequality, bigotry, sectarianism and the division of our island.

I believe this work is central to Irish Republicanism.

That’s what gets me up every day, and be sure of this - I am more committed to those goals now than ever having seen the huge progress we have made on all fronts. 

From the mid-1980s when Sinn Féin published ‘A Scenario for Peace’, through the Hume/Adams talks and the Good Friday Agreement, I actively supported each and every initiative to bring peace to our Island. 

As we now advance reconciliation in our country, we need to be able to talk about the past in way that does not cause or deepen division.  We must be sensitive in how we talk about the past and respectful of the views that others may hold about the past, which may be different. 

I accept that my tweet regarding the ambushes at Kilmichael and Narrow Water was insensitive and that it caused hurt and it caused anger. 

Words can do that, and my words did. For that I am truly sorry.

Another tweet I posted in 2017, on the day that Leo Varadkar was elected as leader of Fine Gael has also been the subject of public commentary.

The impending election as Taoiseach of someone who is gay was rightly highlighted at that time as a sign of the progress we had made as a country; and followed on from the marriage equality referendum two years prior.

That is something that people were very proud of and rightly so.

The point that I was trying to make was “that’s great”, but let’s also focus on advancing workers’ rights and the rights of people on low incomes and economic justice; and issue such as a Living Wage.

I accept that it was a point that I did not articulate in a very good way, and that the tweet is open to different interpretations.

I did try to contact the Tánaiste today to express my apology personally to him and I will do so again following this address.

Homophobia is abhorrent to me and I deplore prejudice of any kind.  I realise that many people who have read my tweets do not know me personally. 

They do not know my record. They do not know my stance on issues.  My record is not a defence, nor does it take away from any hurt.

It only provides an insight into the values I hold as an activist, as a political representative and more importantly as a person.

As an ally of the LGBT community, I am even more responsible and more accountable.  I hope that those I have hurt accept my apologies and that my colleagues here accept the sincerity of my statement. 

I own my mistakes and the hurt that I have caused. I am at fault and I am responsible for the accusations that have been levelled at me. I am committed to learning from these mistakes and to work even harder to promote the causes of equality, inclusion, understanding and reconciliation, and ending the division of our island.

Go raibh maith agat a Ceann Comhairle.