SINN Féin has defended claiming over £1million from Westminster in the past decade despite refusing to take their seats in parliament.
The Irish republican party faced criticism this week after it was revealed to have received £1,119,796 in representative money between February 2006 and April 2017 – over £100,000 a year.
They currently have seven MPs but refuse to sit in parliament under their abstentionist policy – which dates back to the party’s creation in 1905.
Sinn Féin TD Louise O'Reilly says it is what their supporters want.
"I was out canvassing during the Westminster elections, I knocked on many, many doors,” she told Dublin’s Today FM.
"People support fully our policy of abstentionism because they know that Sinn Féin - no matter where they are seated - will provide them with a top class constituency service.
"People are happy, we have had our policy endorsed in the most recent election.
"I can tell you if you were out with Chris Hazzard or Michelle Gildernew or any of our new MPs, you would see the same - those people are very well-respected and well-valued by their communities.”
She added: "They were endorsed in the most recent election, and they were endorsed in the most recent election."
Asked if Sinn Féin was happy enough to take the money, Deputy O'Reilly said it was key to providing a “first class” service to their voters.
"We're happy enough that we're providing first class constituency services for people right across the six counties,” she said.
"That's being done through hard work, dedication and commitment of our people".
