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Stormont job for Mary Travers' killer is criticised Stormont job for Mary Travers' killer is criticised
(about 4 hours later)
A woman convicted of murdering a magistrate's daughter in the 1980s has been given a top job at Stormont.A woman convicted of murdering a magistrate's daughter in the 1980s has been given a top job at Stormont.
Mary McArdle, 46, was part of an IRA gang who ambushed Tom Travers and his family as they left Mass in south Belfast in April 1984.Mary McArdle, 46, was part of an IRA gang who ambushed Tom Travers and his family as they left Mass in south Belfast in April 1984.
Mary Travers, who was 22, was killed.Mary Travers, who was 22, was killed.
Her sister Ann Travers said she was shocked and felt physically sick that McArdle had been appointed as a special adviser to the Sinn Fein Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin.Her sister Ann Travers said she was shocked and felt physically sick that McArdle had been appointed as a special adviser to the Sinn Fein Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin.
"She's now in the position in which she is paid by the taxpayer - of which my mum is one."She's now in the position in which she is paid by the taxpayer - of which my mum is one.
"I am absolutely horrified that she has been given such a position," Ms Travers said."I am absolutely horrified that she has been given such a position," Ms Travers said.
"I think it's really wrong and I think she should stand down.""I think it's really wrong and I think she should stand down."
Ms Travers said she had only found out about McArdle's job when contacted by the BBC on Wednesday morning and criticised Sinn Fein for not contacting her.Ms Travers said she had only found out about McArdle's job when contacted by the BBC on Wednesday morning and criticised Sinn Fein for not contacting her.
"They didn't even have the decency to let us know that this woman involved in the murder of my sister had been given this job," she said."They didn't even have the decency to let us know that this woman involved in the murder of my sister had been given this job," she said.
"While we all want to move forward and have peace in Northern Ireland, we're still all allowed to grieve and we should never be asked to stop grieving or forget about our loved ones who were murdered."While we all want to move forward and have peace in Northern Ireland, we're still all allowed to grieve and we should never be asked to stop grieving or forget about our loved ones who were murdered.
"We're not allowed to move on because every time we want to move on, Sinn Fein turn the knife a little bit more and we're asked to accept a little bit more from them.""We're not allowed to move on because every time we want to move on, Sinn Fein turn the knife a little bit more and we're asked to accept a little bit more from them."
However, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said that "former political prisoners" had played a key role in the peace process.However, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said that "former political prisoners" had played a key role in the peace process.
"Almost half our assembly team are former political prisoners," he said."Almost half our assembly team are former political prisoners," he said.
"Many more ex-prisoners have played critical and positive roles in bringing the political process to where it is now and will continue to do so.""Many more ex-prisoners have played critical and positive roles in bringing the political process to where it is now and will continue to do so."
Ulster Unionist assembly member Robin Swann described the appointment as "a calculated insult to victims".