Council to investigate Donegal councillor John O'Donnell filmed asking for payments in RTÉ exposé

Donegal County Council says it has started an urgent investigation into the matters raised by last night's RTE documentary.

The broadcast showed one local councillor, independent John O'Donnell, asking for payments to a business partner, when asked to help a wind energy company gain planning permission.

There has been widespread criticism of councillor O'Donnell and the two others who appeared in last night's broadcast.

Footage from RTÉ Investigations Unit: Standards in Public Office. Cllr John O’Donnell #RTEInvestigateshttps://t.co/XiqQ2Shg5M

— RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 7, 2015

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has accused the other major parties of allowing political culture to become toxic.

He said: "I don't think that politics is rotten to the core, it's part of the human condition and it affects the political classes as well as every other sector.

"Where the problem lies is in the culture where it has been created over a very, very long time.

"The only way to change that culture is to put sanctions on those who break the law."