SINN Féin TDs are at odds over whether Gerry Adams should apologise for his part in a Christmas video which was withdrawn following complaints from IRA victims.
Dublin Mid-West TD Eoin Ó Broin said it "would be helpful" for Mr Adams to say sorry but Cavan-Monaghan deputy Matt Carthy and Waterford TD David Cullinane said the former party president has nothing to apologise for.
The video featured Mr Adams in a comedy sketch in which he knocked on the door of a house and sang Christmas carol 'Deck the Halls', including the revised lyric "Tis the season to be jolly, tiocfaidh ár lá, lá, lá, lá".
Tiocfaidh ár lá (our day will come) is a well-known republican slogan.
In the sketch, the householder later told his partner “they haven’t gone away you know” - a slogan first used by Mr Adams in August 1995 in relation to the IRA and it's previous year's ceasefire.
The sketch appeared as an online Christmas card with the greeting “have a Gerry Christmas”.
In an interview on WLR FM, Mr Ó Broin said “tiocfaidh ár lá” was a “long standing political slogan and I don’t have a problem with it being used”.
However, he said people should be careful with their language.
"I don’t believe for a second Gerry either intended to cause hurt or offence to anybody; I really don’t," he said.
"But given the fact that offence has been caused, yes, I think for him to apologise for the offence that has been caused would be helpful."
Mr Cullinane was forced to apologise last year after he shouted "Up the 'Ra. Tiocfaidh ár Lá" at the end of a victory speech after the Republic's General Election.
He told RTÉ yesterday that Mr Adams did not need to apologise.
"This was done for the Foyle Search and Rescue, which is an organisation that does incredible work and saves people’s lives," he said.
"I don't believe anybody from that organisation or indeed Gerry Adams set out to offend anybody and I no, I don't believe Gerry Adams has anything to apologise for."
Earlier, Mr Carthy told RTÉ Radio One the video was made "for a good cause".
He said ‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’ is "a political phrase".
"I’ve used it myself in my own lifetime," he said. "I don’t consider that it’s a basis for someone to have to apologise."
When asked about Mr Ó Broin's remarks, Mr Carthy said Mr Adams did not need to say sorry.
“I didn’t hear Eoin Ó Broin’s remarks but I don’t think that Gerry Adams has anything to apologise for," he said.
Ferry Clever, the Derry-based company behind the video and Christmas card, later withdrew both after families of IRA victims raised their concerns.
The company said its business is based around "satirical comedy" and that it was "never our intention to offend anyone".
Foyle Search and Rescue charity apologised for any offence caused.
A spokesman for Mr Adams was contacted for comment.
