MARY LOU MCDONALD and a number of senior Sinn Fein figures were criticised for breaking social distancing rules and attending the funeral of former IRA member Bobby Storey.
Several of the party's most prominent figures, including the likes of former leader Gerry Adams, Northern leader Michelle O'Neill and finance spokesman Pearse Doherty were all spotted attending the service in Belfast on Tuesday.
Hundreds of mourners lined the streets to pay tribute Storey, who served as the IRA's director of intelligence for many years, despite current guidelines restricting funeral services that a maximum of 10 people are allowed to attend.
Furthermore, restrictions on public gatherings are also in place, with a maximum limit of just 30 people, a guideline which was certainly broken on Tuesday.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have said that they are now investigating details of the event.
Why are @sinnfeinireland preaching one thing about Covid-19 restrictions and then practising something else? Does Mary Lou stand over this? https://t.co/Jdv9Ew98El pic.twitter.com/hCunw07K5d
— Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD (@CarrollJennifer) June 30, 2020
Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill tweeted: "Why are @sinnfienireland preaching one thing about Covid-19 restrictions and then practising something else? Does Mary Lou stand over this?"
She later told the Irish Independent: "Lots of people have tragically lost family members in recent months and they have suffered the additional hurt and pain of mourning alone, with greatly reduced support from friends and extended family.
"Why is the Sinn Fein family different?"
Many have warned that this could be Ireland's 'Dominic Cummings' moment - in that public discipline in following lockdown rules could be significantly hampered by the sight of senior politically figures disobeying the very rules they demand the public to follow rigourously.
