Irish MEPs in Belfast bank raid backlash

Date: 03/03/05

THE European Parliament has been asked to remove the allowances of two Sinn Féin MEPs following accusations that the IRA was behind a €38.6 million bank raid in Belfast.

Ten MEPs, mostly UK Conservatives and UK Independence Party deputies, have written to Parliament's quaestors demanding that the allowances be withdrawn for Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin's Dublin MEP, and Bairbre de Brún, the party's Northern Ireland representative.

Withdrawal of allowances, which are used to employ staff and pay office expenses, could deprive the two MEPs of an estimated €400,000 per year. Sinn Féin's four Westminster MPs, including Gerry Adams, the party chief negotiator, are currently facing calls for their allowances to be removed because of links between Sinn Féin and the IRA.

UK Conservative MEP Roger Helmer is among those who want a similar sanction imposed on McDonald and de Brún, who were elected as Sinn Féin's first-ever MEPs in last year's European elections. Both pay a section of their salary to Sinn Féin.

He said: "Given the undoubted links between Sinn Féin and the IRA, a terrorist organisation, I do not see why European taxpayers should be asked to fund their elected European representatives."

Jim Nicholson, chairman of the quaestors, said: "We are currently taking legal advice on this and I expect a final decision will be taken by the bureau in the fullness of time."

McDonald branded the move a "publicity stunt". She said: "We are confident that moves to deal with allowances for myself and my colleague will go nowhere. We will not be distracted by those who want to demonise Sinn Féin."

Only one MEP has ever had allowances removed. In 2003, Basque deputy Koldo Gorostiaga's allowances were withdrawn after Parliament said that he had made them available to the Basque separatist party Batasuna.

Ten MEPs, mostly UK Conservatives and UK Independence Party deputies, have written to the European Parliament's quaestors demanding that allowances be withdrawn for Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein's Dublin MEP, and Bairbre de Brún, the party's Northern Ireland representative. The request follows accusations that the IRA was behind a €38.6 million bank raid in Belfast in December 2004.

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