Pascal Donohoe faces Dáil scrutiny over election expenses
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- Опубліковано 28 лис 2024
- Sinn Féin has accused Minister Paschal Donohoe of misleading the Dáil over his election expenses.
The Public Expenditure Minister has been taking questions in the chamber after further revelations relating to postering expenses.
It has emerged businessman Michael Stone paid for work to be done during the 2020 election as well as in 2016 - with neither expenses declared.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald earlier accused Minister Donohoe of misleading the Dáil in his statement last week.
"This means that Minister Donohoe failed not once, but twice, to disclose a donation in back-to-back elections from the same wealthy supporter," she said.
"A supporter, let it be said, who has secured lucrative State contracts, who was appointed to the powerful Land Development Agency by Fine Gael outside of the normal process and was appointed as chair of the North-East Inner City Programme Implementation Board.
"Mr Stone has now resigned from both bodies.
"A theme of this controversy is the Minister's ever-changing story," Deputy McDonald said.
'Concealment and cover-up'
She said it has been "an exercise in concealment and cover-up from start to finish."
In response, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Mr Donohoe's latest statement should put the matter to rest.
"It's going to be a matter for people to decide whether they believe Paschal Donohoe or not," he said.
"I've heard his explanations over the weekend, spoke to him about it, and I believe him.
"I fought four general elections and I know what can happen in a campaign - particularly in a chaotic campaign.
"You might have 1,000 posters, somebody can offer to put up 100 or 150 for you.
"They may offer to drop a few thousands leaflets for you - and you do so on the assumption that they're going to do it on a voluntary basis.
"It is possible that they may pay a third or fourth party to do that for them and not inform you.
"That does appear to be what happened in this case to me".
Mr Varadkar then went on to criticise Sinn Féin's record on election declarations.
Deputy McDonald suggested: "It is not credible on your part for you to attempt to stand over these donations that were undeclared, and the cock and bull story that your colleague has fabricated after the fact to try and cover his tracks."
Mr Varadkar replied: "Exposing your hypocrisy is not a distraction, it's simply telling the truth - something that you constantly run a mile from.
"I think you've some brass neck, quite frankly, in that regard," he added.
#expenses #politics #ireland
Every single person sitting in that Dáil bar a few independents are complicit in the destruction of ireland as we knew. And it goes way beyond Paschal Donoghue
At the end of the day they all go to the Dail bar and slap each other’s backs . This triumvirate is in power too long and needs to go ASAP as there so detached from the everyday citizens and their concerns. There so steeped in the political & lobbying system that they can’t even conceive of not being involved with it and that it the very opposite of the meaning of democracy. No accountability or self reflection whatsoever. Our founding fathers would cringe at these people.
Pascal Donohoe is too long in the tooth now and a politican for a long time and should know better, the whole situation is unacceptable, we need a new government ASAP it's pathetic!
This stinks of corruption
You can’t hide those lying eyes, I thought by now you would realise 🤔
Ethics Fine Geal.No ethics here.No second chances should be given here.Let them of the hook.Presure has to be on here. He has to step down immediately
What's happening in Eire outside the house of clowns.
The truth will set you free, alas all we got was spin!
Pascal forgot nothing is free in politics.
We need a Covid enquiry.
Pascal don’t know who u are but u seem rather slippery there
He is doing his best to talk down the clock.
One big club no opposition they sold their souls!!!
Call Mr Stone before the Dail to answer questions.
This is embarrassing and unfortunately not an isolated incident
They are all acting the snake looking out for their own endeavours as priorities and when caught by the plumbs it’s deflect, blow hot air, deny and spout a wire salad without answering the questions but running down the clock with a word salad….they’re all at it it’s a shambles how this is supposed to be a representation of the people
Peru in uprising as it is attacked for lithium to keep green cars plans going forward .. Donnelly attempting to turn the country into a " human offal" hub despite Irish knowledge of metaphysics defining this as impossible due to our unique geomorphic location...these people fail to prioritise and this last bastion of legal bias in Ireland needs to be replaced .. unfortunately there are no calls for a regime transplant. !..
22:27 ah please will you cooperate 🤣🤣🤣
Dublin Central is one constituency yet the University Acts 1997 gave private constituency status to the university complexes ,,which are in central Dublin...if posters were put up in the private constituencies then the job wasn't done so the figures are wrong ...The 1979 referendum got rid of University Ireland so no private constituencies should exist..all these political wings have accepted nominations for their senators however from those universities despite Article 7 being repealed by referendum yet for some reason some have not recognised the electorate of 1979..and they speak of electoral rules !???.. Irish politics at its best and why the country has a reputation worldwide as being backwards.
Cock and bull story from pascal
Distraction...
No, no, no, you are way over time!
Right Pascal, stand up and say that you you thought the donation was voluntary because the Shinners only extort their donations, then run down the clock and we will brush this over. Any questions on the plan?
Pascal blasted the shinner out of the water.
I don't think I've ever such petty squabbles, politicians talking about the law, they make them and usually the first to break them, we all know pascal took the week end to get his defence together whether we believe it or not makes no difference because no one will be held accountable, its the same old story, just keep talking shit and the time will pass And the same answer will come in several versions and the baldy man with the glasses will eventually shout u down, waste of time.
Just listened to Fionan Sheehan just now on the radio, it's a fact that in 2016 most of the Sinn Fein press conferences held outside their HQ were NEVER declared as expenses, pardon the put they have perhaps set off their own booby trap...
all this for what because nothing will happen At the cause of the text man
ah look folks Pascal goinging no where so will ye get back to helping the people off Ireland o the refugees first
It was for POSTERS. Talk about more important matters 😁😁😁😁
A storm in tea cup….🙄
This couldn't be any more irrelevant.
No fan of Paschal, nor his party, but I try to be fairly egalitarian. I technically agree that his actions should be reviewed, but nothing should hold up our day-to-day
The Dail needs "Dimples" - give him a break!
Flogging a dead horse much?!
Pascal Donohue, has my full backing and support. He is a good decent man, the best minster in the whole government in my opinion.
Stay going pascal, we need u in government in your position, a great asset you are.
People in glass house's
Who cares about the wretched posters not I !
there all at it why you picking on donohue
Why don't they all work together and sort this country out ,