Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has urged the voting public of the Republic of Ireland to beware Sinn Fein propaganda in the elections to Dáil Éireann. Reacting to a statement from Sinn Fein's Deputy Leader, Mary Lou McDonald TD, Mr Nesbitt said:

"I urge voters in the Republic to make themselves aware of the facts. First, please note there is not a note of humility, regret or repentance in the Sinn Féin statement about the child abuse perpetrated by senior members of the Republican movement in Northern Ireland. I am sure Senator Máiría Cahill can speak volumes in that regard.

"Secondly, Ms McDonald might be asked why it is that her colleagues controlling the Northern Ireland Executive, agreed to spend £12 million to provide 'affordable, accessible, quality childcare' but did not spend two-thirds of that sum in the published timeframe.

"Thirdly, please remember the Office of the First Minister and Deputy Minister of the Northern Ireland Executive were taken to Belfast's High Court, where they lost a Judicial Review of their obligation to bring forward a Child Poverty Plan.

"Fourthly, this is the party that promised a £80 million spend tackling poverty in Northern Ireland during the current Assembly mandate, but managed to distribute less than 2% of that sum in the promised time frame.

"Lastly, she accuses others of 'cooking the books'. This is rich from a party attempting to re-write history to the point where they want to blame others for atrocities such as the Shankill bomb that define the IRA`s seedy, sectarian terror campaign.

"The five Olympic rings bind us together in our common humanity. Sinn Fein offer you an alternative quintet. Do not be fooled."

ENDS

Note to Editors:

On Saturday morning (6th February 2016), Mary Lou McDonald TD claimed that Sinn Fein would ‘deliver affordable, accessible and quality childcare’ in the Republic of Ireland.