Top Stormont Job Given To IRA Killer

Jaap

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13543364

I think it is an absolute disgrace that the UK tax-payer is to pay a convicted female murderer a salary probably twice that of Northern Ireland's average wage.
This woman Mary McArdle has never apologised for her part in the murder.
Why go to university to get an education when you can kill someone...be released early from prison...and get a bumper pay packet at the end of the month!
Only in Northern Ireland!

KeithAFC

Jaap wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13543364

I think it is an absolute disgrace that the UK tax-payer is to pay a convicted female murderer a salary probably twice that of Northern Ireland's average wage.
This woman Mary McArdle has never apologised for her part in the murder.
Why go to university to get an education when you can kill someone...be released early from prison...and get a bumper pay packet at the end of the month!
Only in Northern Ireland!

You post like you are surprised? The government is full of terrorists. It is a disgrace though. But what can you do? Just have to accept it, sadly.

Jaap

KeithAFC wrote: »

You post like you are surprised? The government is full of terrorists. It is a disgrace though. But what can you do? Just have to accept it, sadly.

I am surprised that a female murderer in this time of Sinn Fein trying to build a shared community in the north has been appointed!
Even the SDLP in the shape of Alban Magennis is calling it "insensitive".

http://www.u.tv/News/Sister-shocked-by-killers-Stormont-role/32477c4e-f8e5-4903-b0c2-5e2c2333c157

KeithAFC

Jaap wrote: »

I am surprised that a female murderer in this time of Sinn Fein trying to build a shared community in the north has been appointed!
Even the SDLP in the shape of Alban Magennis is calling it "insensitive".

http://www.u.tv/News/Sister-shocked-by-killers-Stormont-role/32477c4e-f8e5-4903-b0c2-5e2c2333c157

A shared community my arse. Sinn Fein only have one agenda and it ain't a shared community. Was she elected?

Jaap

KeithAFC wrote: »

A shared community my arse. Sinn Fein only have one agenda and it ain't a shared community. Was she elected?

Don't think she has been elected by anyone.
You would think Sinn Fein would be putting new fresh talent, who have never had such hatred to physically harm someone never mind murder, in to the political mix...I'm sure there are plenty of other nationalists in their set-up with better qualifications and experience than one who played a part in killing an innocent 22 year old who was just starting out in life.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Jaap wrote: »

I am surprised that a female murderer in this time of Sinn Fein trying to build a shared community in the north has been appointed!
Even the SDLP in the shape of Alban Magennis is calling it "insensitive".

http://www.u.tv/News/Sister-shocked-by-killers-Stormont-role/32477c4e-f8e5-4903-b0c2-5e2c2333c157

He called it grossly inappropriate too.

I cannot understand Sinn Fein doing this. They'd be the first to complain if an ex-udr man who killed a catholic civilian was appointed to this kind of role.

Kristopherus

Wonder what the Shinners would be saying if a UVF killer was appointed by Robinson's gang.

Jaap

Kristopherus wrote: »

Wonder what the Shinners would be saying if a UVF killer was appointed by Robinson's gang.

With Robinson's cosy relationship with other ex-terrorists from Sinn Fein who is to say he won't appoint a killer from the unionist community!

Nodin

Jaap wrote: »

I am surprised that a female murderer in this time of Sinn Fein trying to build a shared community in the north has been appointed!
...........

....call me a big liberal, but wouldn't the fact that she killed somebody be the important point of dispute and not her gender...?

KeithAFC

Why do Sinn Fein hire murderers? Makes you think if they really did mean to condemn Ronan Kerrs murder.

Wolfe Tone

KeithAFC wrote: »

Why do Sinn Fein hire murderers? Makes you think if they really did mean to condemn Ronan Kerrs murder.

No it doesnt.

---

SF have put themselves in a strange position now, they can't be seen to back down for a number of obvious reasons.

Jaap

Nodin wrote: »

....call me a big liberal, but wouldn't the fact that she killed somebody be the important point of dispute and not her gender...?

You don't get many female terrorist killers. Not many during the Troubles I believe.
I think it was highlighted tonight that she is the highest profile female murderer with an influential position in government in Northern Ireland.
I think it is great that Sinn Fein are introducing loads of females in to their party...but not this one.

KeithAFC

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

No it doesnt.

---

SF have put themselves in a strange position now, they can't be seen to back down for a number of obvious reasons.

What position is that Wolfe?

Bottle_of_Smoke

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

SF have put themselves in a strange position now, they can't be seen to back down for a number of obvious reasons.

What do you make of the appointment yourself? I don't know what they were thinking.

Wolfe Tone

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

What do you make of the appointment yourself? I don't know what they were thinking.

I'm in two minds, seems stupid as it will stir stuff up, but then again I'm glad they are (in this case at least) looking after ex prisoners, but then again do we want a "jobs for the boys" (well, lady in this case!) situation? Or is she the best for the job?

Now they can't back down and remove her as that will portray SF as abandoning those who fought the fight (we all know who will latch onto that and exploit it).

On a pragmatic level it would probably be better to find her some other job or run her as a candidate.

But then again why should they?

You have another way it needs to be looked at, she did serve her time and we are all supposed to be moving forwards, I don't think you can do that if people are left behind. Of course the electorate have elected IRA commanders, that puts a spin on it too.

I don't think it was wrong of SF to appoint her, but if I was in charge I wouldn't have done it.

KeithAFC

John O dowd comes across as one of SFs best and comes across well when he speaks (even though i disagree with him, obviously) but as far as im aware he wasn't in the PIRA. I think SF have enough people who fought in the PIRA. They don't need her to be honest. John O dowd is a good example of future republicans.

Fratton Fred

Is killing a magistrate considered "fighting the fight".

What military purpose does that serve?

RMD

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

I'm in two minds, seems stupid as it will stir stuff up, but then again I'm glad they are (in this case at least) looking after ex prisoners, but then again do we want a "jobs for the boys" (well, lady in this case!) situation? Or is she the best for the job?

She was in prison because she killed an innocent civilian who wasn't involved in any form of injustice during The Troubles Wolfe. They're looking after a fúcking scumbag and there's no way you can deny that unless you support the killing of innocent civilians during The Troubles.

PARKHEAD67

Jaap wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13543364

I think it is an absolute disgrace that the UK tax-payer is to pay a convicted female murderer a salary probably twice that of Northern Ireland's average wage.
This woman Mary McArdle has never apologised for her part in the murder.
Why go to university to get an education when you can kill someone...be released early from prison...and get a bumper pay packet at the end of the month!
Only in Northern Ireland!

Check out Mr. Irvine. Selective memory?

Wolfe Tone

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Is killing a magistrate considered "fighting the fight".

What military purpose does that serve?

I would have thought it obvious why they were targeted considering the role the legal system played in the troubles.

Wolfe Tone

RMD wrote: »

She was in prison because she killed an innocent civilian who wasn't involved in any form of injustice during The Troubles Wolfe. They're looking after a fúcking scumbag and there's no way you can deny that unless you support the killing of innocent civilians during The Troubles.

I was asked for my opinion and I gave it, serves little purpose to attack me in such a way over it.

RMD

Wolfe Tone wrote: »

I was asked for my opinion and I gave it, serves little purpose to attack me in such a way over it.

I'm not attacking you, I'm making a point. You say you're happy to see them looking after ex-prisoners, well this prisoner was in prison for shooting a 22 year old woman not involved in The Troubles. If you're glad to see them looking after prisoners, are you glad to see them looking after a murdering scumbag?

Nodin

Jaap wrote: »

You don't get many female terrorist killers. Not many during the Troubles I believe.
I think it was highlighted tonight that she is the highest profile female murderer with an influential position in government in Northern Ireland.
I think it is great that Sinn Fein are introducing loads of females in to their party...but not this one.

...in every conflict, after the fact, theres people around the other side don't want/like etc. I'd suggest getting used to it.

fryup

PARKHEAD67 wrote: »

Check out Mr. Irvine. Selective memory?

yes david irvine had a murky past but he didn't deny it and was upfront about it..unlike mary mcardle

anyway irvine was never given a senior post which mcardle has

KeithAFC

Did David Ervine actually kill anyone? I know he was caught driving a bomb.

RMD

KeithAFC wrote: »

Did David Ervine actually kill anyone? I know he was caught driving a bomb.

Is there much of a difference between performing the action or getting caught trying to do so? Either way he was intending on hurting people.

Nodin

fryup wrote: »

yes david irvine had a murky past but he didn't deny it and was upfront about it..unlike mary mcardle

anyway irvine was never given a senior post which mcardle has

Whats this about Mary McArdle not being "upfront" about her past....?

KeithAFC

RMD wrote: »

Is there much of a difference between performing the action or getting caught trying to do so? Either way he was intending on hurting people.

Nope. I agree, it was an awful thing to do. He did learn from it in prison though. He always said if you want a place to reflect, prison is the place to do it.

Penfailed

fryup wrote: »

yes david irvine had a murky past but he didn't deny it and was upfront about it..unlike mary mcardle

Eh? What has she denied?

fryup wrote: »

anyway irvine was never given a senior post which mcardle has

Eh? He was the leader of the PUP. That's quite a senior post.

fryup

Penfailed wrote: »

Eh? What has she denied?

she's denied her part in the murder even though she was caught red handed with the gun hidden down her skirt

Penfailed wrote: »

Eh? He was the leader of the PUP. That's quite a senior post.

but he never had a post in government

Penfailed

fryup wrote: »

she's denied her part in the murder even though she was caught red handed with the gun hidden down her skirt




but he never had a post in government

Point taken.

Son Of A Vidic

Conflict resolution involves decisions which may be unpalatable to former enemies. Nobody has a monopoly on the morale high ground from either side. Working for the future and not living in the past will ensure continued success.

KeithAFC

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Conflict resolution involves decisions which may be unpalatable to former enemies. Nobody has a monopoly on the morale high ground from either side. Working for the future and not living in the past will ensure continued success.

Why did she kill that girl? She was completely innocent.

mike65

KeithAFC wrote: »

Why did she kill that girl? She was completely innocent.

I assume she was "collateral" damage, it was her father the IRA were trying to kill.

Penfailed

KeithAFC wrote: »

Why did she kill that girl? She was completely innocent.

Alas, most of the victims of the troubles were completely innocent

end a eknny

the british soliders have killed a thousand times more people than the ira ever have. indeed they are currently engaged in a murderous campaign in the arab states. i suppose that the irish catholics should be grateful they are now killing arab muslims instead. so if the choice is british rule or sinn fein irish rule i know which i would like to see

lastlaugh

I suppose some of the current generation of politcians in the North still have 'dodgy' pasts but it is still important to include people who will make a genuine difference and represent their 'side'.

I'm not exactly sure what crimes David Ervine did commit, but I had more respect for him for his attitude, even if he had murdered in the past.

He was a good representive for Loyalism.

Liam Byrne

When I first heard about this I thought "Well, up there is a different set of rules because there are two sides in Government who have murdered people"

Didn't realise that it was an innocent person that she had murdered.

Turns my stomach, and wouldn't accept it in this country, but as I said, up there is different.

Son Of A Vidic

KeithAFC wrote: »

Why did she kill that girl? She was completely innocent.

Why are you asking me this question? Where in my post did I defend anyone, our suggest otherwise? You need to read my post again and move on from the politics of blame.

KeithAFC

Corvus Maximus wrote: »

Why are you asking me this question? Where in my post did I defend anyone, our suggest otherwise? You need to read my post again and move on from the politics of blame.

I didn't say you did, i just asked you a question. I can't understand why Sinn Fein did it. I was not surprised but i thought Sinn Fein was moving away from that sort of thing but i guess not.

Nijmegen

The gang set out to kill her father, a judge, ambushing the family on the way home from church. They put six bullets in him but he survived. His 22 year old daughter wasn't so fortunate.

Real military heroes there - They set up an ambush and then start shooting everyone around, killing a person they didn't intend to, and then denying they did it afterwards.

I accept that we must allow for reconciliation and so on, but I don't see any fairness in that context in appointing (not electing) a person to a government job who has that background.

The Shinners will do themselves much damage here, as they try to move away from the image of being "Conviction Politicians" in the North and South.

KeithAFC

Its decisions like this which make me question how they pick up any votes to be honest. I can't understand why Sinn Fein would make such a decision which they knew would just attract negative press, when surely after the last few weeks, they should be trying to get better press for their politics?

FTA69

It's gas that people who b*tch and moan about Irish Republicanism needing to "move on" and "quit living in the past" are the first to drag up the past when it suits them. Mary McArdle was a member of the IRA who participated in an attack which took place in the wider context of a war; a war which is now over. Similarly there are plenty of people within Stormont and the wider political process, both north and south, who have participated in that conflict in one stage or another. This isn't massive news like.

Liam Byrne,

Turns my stomach, and wouldn't accept it in this country, but as I said, up there is different.

It's the same country by the way, but even by your logic the people of the 26 counties have elected two former IRA members; one rumoured to be the most senior IRA member of all so your argument doesn't exactly stand up.

FTA69

KeithAFC wrote: »

Its decisions like this which make me question how they pick up any votes to be honest. I can't understand why Sinn Fein would make such a decision which they knew would just attract negative press, when surely after the last few weeks, they should be trying to get better press for their politics?

Says the man who can't resist sneaking in a few admiring comments of the UVF from time to time, a shower of degenerate and sectarian drug-dealers who could barely scratch a vote out of their own community because of their antics.

Unionism is in no position to moralise over Mary McArdle or armed struggle in general considering for years it presided over institutions of violence (both legal and illegal) which it used to shore up a sectarian state. Even when Unionist hegemony was smashed and direct rule was in place so-called respectable political Unionism was up to its neck in Loyalist paramilitarism with members of the DUP actually complicit in importing arms into this country which are still floating around today

Hypocrisy at its finest.

Laminations

You don't need to be a unionist to find this appointment disgusting. Yes, unpalatable concessions on both sides are necessary for conflict resolution. I would have thought the concession of letting this killer out of prison early (if at all) would be enough. This IS both inappropriate and insensitive. And just an observation - FTA69 and KeithAFC, you both epitomise why the north has been in conflict for so long. Bickering children are more mature

Can'tseeme

This is simply a media storm at work, particularly driven by UTV with it's own pro Unionist agenda.

Many people were affected by the conflict by all sides involved. Mary McArdle has done her time, released through the terms of the GFA and has worked hard to build on the peace process. She wasn't appointed to annoy the Travers family. The Travers family didn't even know about this advisory appointment until either UTV or Irish News told them about it. I see no other reason for UTV to run this story, as they have done for the last two days, other than to stir up emotions for whatever agenda they have.

You would need a heart of stone not to sympathise with the family for their loss, as all those stories over the conflict. But this was stirred up by certain parts of the media when their was no need. Now SF members are receiving death threats from the Orange Volunteers.

dlofnep

While it's perfectly valid to criticise her appointment, it's just an opportunist post by the OP, who has a history of defending the actions of British state murder and attacking Republicanism:

In response to the civilians murdered on Bloody Sunday, he stated:

There is no justification of any murder during the troubles...but people have to understand what was going on in Northern Ireland at that time...the tension, killings, unrest.

I've no time for hypocrisy. If any balanced poster wishes to bring this up, I'd be more than happy to accept it as valid criticism for a post. But if they wish to criticise this post, then perhaps they might also criticise other various posts in the past for unionist politicians, and also for the death threats towards members of Sinn Féin for the post-selection.

There are many members of Stormont that hold questionable positions - but in a post-GFA Ireland, these are concessions that we make for the betterment of the island. If this was a member of the DUP, we'd be told to move along and stop living in the past.

Dub.

Sorry lads, but is this really an issue while we have the Chief of Staff of the IRA as Deputy First Minister?

Really?

Sorry, but this is just another cynical attempt to discredit the peace process and Sinn Fein.

KeithAFC

If this was a member of the DUP, we'd be told to move along and stop living in the past

Would the DUP make such a move?

Laminations

dlofnep wrote: »

I've no time for hypocrisy.

You're joking right? You have on numerous occasions attempted to 'explain' the actions of republican groups while claiming not to defend or support them. From the piece you quoted that poster is not trying to excuse or defend Bloody Sunday but explain the context in which it happens. I still don't find these 'explanations' useful, I don't need either your 'explanations' or theirs to help me 'understand'. People may have no time for their wives but they are still married to them, you and hypocrisy obviously share a similar relationship.

I'm Irish, republican (in a good sense), and a supporter of the peace process and s believer in concessions for progress. I do not think this is appropriate or fitting, or a concession that this country or Britain should make.

Can'tseeme

KeithAFC wrote: »

Would the DUP make such a move?

Put it this way. I see the DUP under Robinson to have been a pretty progressive party since they've had a change of heart regarding the peace process. I may not agree with their political outlook but they've been productive and lead Unionism pretty well overall.

If a man like Tommy Sandford (ex Loyalist prisoner) who is a member of the DUP got an advisory role in Stormont, it wouldn't bother me one bit.