Fianna Fáil senator's 'dishonest' political point scoring on LGBT New York video

» Mark Moloney

Averil Power's dislike and misrepresentation of Sinn Féin's stance and policies is nothing new

SINN FÉIN Justice Spokesperson Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has described comments by Fianna Fáil Senator Averil Power about Sinn Féin not taking part in an LGBT video organised and written by her as "dishonest and disappointing".

The video was released in advance of the 'St Pat's for All' parade in New York on 2 March.

The Fianna Fáil senator had initially contacted parties claiming that she hoped to produce a cross-party video on the need for St Patrick's Day celebrations to be inclusive. Sinn Féin confirmed that Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh would take part.

But when the Fianna Fáil senator handed out scripts for parliamentarians to read out, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn says it became clear that the video was not what had been originally claimed.

Instead of being a video in support of LGBT equality and the need for all St Patrick's Day celebrations to be inclusive, it was one endorsing one St Patrick's event over another.

"Senator Ó Clochartaigh then relayed our concerns to Senator Power outlining that we objected to the last paragraph of her script, endorsing one St Patrick's celebratory event over another but we were happy to read any of the remaining script as presented," says Pádraig Mac Lochlainn.

"Unfortunately, Senator Power refused to change her script and what Senator Ó Clochartaigh was to read out in the video so he had no choice but to withdraw his participation in the video."

Averil Power's dislike and misrepresentation of Sinn Féin's stance and policies is nothing new. During the 2011 general election in Dublin North-East she issued a special leaflet (below) headlined "Keep Sinn Féin Out! – Vote Power". 

The leaflet went on to claim that a vote for Sinn Féin was a vote for "obstruction of measures to reduce crime" – something she was unable to stand over when challenged.