Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness today robustly defended his fellow Sinn Fein MPs over allegations they were fleecing the taxpayer over expenses.
In fact, the Mid Ulster MP said, the Government owed Sinn Fein millions of pounds in unpaid salaries.
Batting away criticism following revelations that Mr McGuinness, Gerry Adams, Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew and Conor Murphy claimed more than £400,000 on a pair of London flats, he said they did nothing wrong.
In the last financial year the five were reported to have claimed £105,000 on the flats even though they do not take their seats at Westminster.
They do not take their seats because to do so would entail swearing an oath of allegiance to the Queen, and because they won’t they don’t get paid.
Turning the argument around, Mr McGuinness said he had been elected as an MP for the last 10 years, Gerry Adams for longer, and the other three for several years.
“The British Government does not give us one halfpenny of our salaries. In fact, if the truth be told, the British government owes Sinn Fein millions of pounds.
“We have had not one red cent from the British Government as a salary over the course of the last 10 years and I think that those people who argue that Sinn Fein is not entitled to this money the same as all the other parties need to catch themselves on.”
The party, he said, made no apology to anyone for not taking their seats in Parliament — that was why they were elected in republican constituencies across Northern Ireland — and people supported their stance.
They were simply taking in expenses which they were entitled to.
“The citizens who vote for Sinn Fein are as entitled to get a first class service as the service provided by any other MP.
“That is exactly what we are doing. That money does not go into our pockets. It employs people. It rents buildings. It buys computers. It does all sorts of things in the interests of the citizens.”
PA