Gallagher 'targeted' by Sinn Féin

Presidential front-runner Seán Gallagher has accused Sinn Féin of an orchestrated ambush amid attacks over a €5,000 donation he helped secure for Fianna Fáil from a convicted fuel smuggler.

Under intense pressure over his political fundraising and business deals, he accused Martin McGuinness of dishonouring his candidacy for the election.

Mr Gallagher – the opinion poll topper – accused Sinn Féin of trying to “take him out” after he revealed details of the damaging donation while facing an onslaught of criticism during last night’s live RTÉ television debate.

Speaking on 'Today with Pat Kenny' this morning, the former director of the Smarthomes cabling company, who also faced questions over payments from the business and rental income and patent income, claimed Sinn Féin was driving questions over his past.

“Martin McGuinness pulled the trigger with a different story,” Mr Gallagher said.

The independent candidate claimed the criticisms over his role in Fianna Fáil was character assassination.

“It was a hatchet job. It was an ambush last night, well orchestrated by Sinn Féin,” he said.

“This was a legal fundraising event unlike many of the fundraising event Sinn Féin and others have been involved in.

“Martin McGuinness and Sinn Féin have now orchestrated a campaign to take me out.”

Mr Gallagher, from Cavan, claimed he had been singled out after calling for anyone with information on the killing of Garda Detective Jerry McCabe to come forward.

He also claimed he had been made aware that he would come under amazing attack from Sinn Féin in the border areas.

Mr McGuinness had claimed he had been telephoned by the donor yesterday ahead of the RTÉ debate and was told that a cheque for €5,000 had been given to Fianna Fáil for the event three years ago.

The Sinn Féin candidate also claimed Mr Gallagher personally collected the payment for a meet and greet with then taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Mr McGuinness said claims that he was running an orchestrated campaign against Mr Gallagher were not true.

He said the donor had been told that the long-running Galway tent fundraiser was a thing of the past and the meet-and-greet in a hotel would be a new method.

The Sinn Féin candidate said he was relaying a legitimate, bona fide conversation that the public could decide on.

Mr McGuinness said he had learned overnight that the man, who he declined to name, gave the poll-topper the €5,000 euro cheque at his home four days before the Fianna Fáil fundraiser in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dundalk.

He said Mr Gallagher also delivered a photograph to the man after the event.

“What is very, very clear is that Seán is part of the Galway tent culture,” he said.

“The man I spoke to also told me during the course of the conversation that one explanation that was given for the meeting of 30-odd people, a Fianna Fáil fundraiser, a meeting with the Taoiseach, which I consider to be totally inappropriate given these are builders and developers at a time whenever the country was going through a major crisis.

“This man made it clear he was told that Fianna Fáil had decided that the Galway tent operation had to fold up and this was going to be the alternative for fundraising.”