Fine Gael attempt to force Dáil session on Sinn Féin finances criticised as a ‘stunt’

An attempt by Fine Gael to force a Dáil session on Sinn Féin’s finances has been knocked back.

Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton wrote to the Dáil’s business committee on Wednesday, seeking that “consideration is given to allowing time for Sinn Féin to make statements to Dáil Éireann in the coming period”.

However, members of the Dáil’s business committee did not agree to the suggestion today, which faced criticism from other members - some describing it as a “stunt”, sources present said.

Sinn Féin are said to have challenged Ms Naughton to put a more general debate on political donations on the agenda - with nothing off limits. Sinn Féin whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn is said to have told Ms Naughton that if the government wanted to put statements on financing on its own time in the Dáil, that it could do so, but that Sinn Féin would robustly challenge Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on their funding.

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There was also criticism that the proposal had appeared in the media before members had been officially told about it.

A government source said the coalition would reflect on the outcome - but another committee member said the effort now appeared to be dead in the water.

A source on the committee said the proposal had been criticised by some members for lacking a foundation in parliamentary procedure, with the Dáil usually holding government ministers and the Government to account.

Sinn Féin, as would be expected, did not support the suggestion by the government, and were joined by other members of the committee, sources said.

Ms Naughton had suggested this could take place in Government time rather than private members time.

She made the request “in light of continued revelations regarding Sinn Féin finances and associated alleged financial irregularities, which in some cases amounts to hundreds of thousands of euros”.

The Irish Times recently reported on the contents of a complaint made to the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) by a Fine Gael activist alleging discrepancies within Sinn Féin’s accounts on both sides of the Border.

The commission is investigating complaints into a series of alleged discrepancies, contradictions and apparent mistakes in Sinn Féin’s financial statements and electoral spending returns. The discrepancies have been identified through detailed examinations of statutory filings to the commission in recent years.