Statement by TUV spokesperson Lorna Smyth:
“When I first saw the footage of the Republic of Ireland’s women’s team celebrating their qualification to the World Cup by singing a pro-IRA song I questioned if it was real. Surely young women who knew they were role models and were aware that they were being filmed couldn’t be so offensive? Yet now we have confirmation that the video is indeed genuine.
“While there have been apologies tellingly there has been a failure by the FAI or the players to spell out why the song was unacceptable. They have apologised merely for “for any offence caused”.
“Much more is needed. Is disaplinary action being taken? If not, why not? There needs to be recognition by all concerned, both the players and the FAI, that the IRA were a murderous terrorist organisation responsible for visiting death and destruction on countless families on both sides of the border. A bland apology which says sorry for any offence without clearly spelling out why a song glorifying the IRA is offensive isn’t enough.
“The pussyfooting around the nature of the IRA’s bloody campaign for the sake of the so-called “peace process” is the reason why a generation has grown up not thinking about the victims of Republican violence. A process which has normalised terrorists has meant that many celebrate their actions without a thought for their victims.
“There is a need for the FAI and the players concerned to come out clearly and say they recognise that the murders of Bloody Friday, Kingsmill, Enniskillen, La Mon and countless other atrocities were horrendous.
“It is well beyond time that the casual glorification of those who murdered Protestants was just as unacceptable as the casual glorification of those who murdered Jews”.