Martin hits out at donations laws delay

FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin has accused Fine Gael of deliberately delaying new laws on corporate donations in order to amass an election war chest.

The Programme for Government published by Fine Gael and Labour in March agreed to ban corporate donations and, earlier this month, Environment Minister Phil Hogan published legislation on the issue.

But the legislation does not completely ban corporate donations and it will be passed into law in the new year. Mr Martin, who is attempting to distance his own party from its toxic fundraising past, believes there was a deliberate delay so that Fine Gael could benefit financially from its first year in power.