Varadkar calls on Sinn Féin leader to explain €1,000 Dowdall donation

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Taoiseach of trying to distract and to muddy the waters. File picture

The Taoiseach has called on Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to explain a €1,000 donation made by former councillor Jonathan Dowdall.

In calling on Ms McDonald to make a Dáil statement clarifying whether the donation was made to her or her party, Leo Varadkar said matters of ethics and standards "should apply equally"

Mr Varadkar hit back at the opposition leader who had raised the controversy relating to Minister Paschal Donohoe's declarations and said Ms McDonald also has questions to answer. The Taoiseach described Dowdall as a "friend" of Ms McDonald and "somebody who would have been one of her cronies".

He also raised spending on a €7,000 pre-election poll which Sinn Féin failed to declare for almost two years.

Mr Varadkar told the Dáil: "Accountability is important. It should apply to all of us - Government, Opposition and Independents. What is good for the goose is good for the gander and I invite Deputy McDonald to make a statement on the Dowdall donation. Was it a personal donation, as she reported it, or was it a donation to her party as she now claims?"

He said he would also like Ms McDonald and Sinn Féin treasurer Pearse Doherty to make a statement to the house as to why there was a two-year gap in accounting for a €7,000 payment to a British polling firm.

The Taoiseach described Jonathan Dowdall (pictured) as a "friend" of Ms McDonald and "somebody who would have been one of her cronies".

"She should be willing to make a statement in this House to explain the Dowdall donation, the €1,000 that she declared to be a personal donation and now claims was a donation to the party and has still not returned, even though she should."

Ms McDonald accused the Taoiseach of trying to distract and to muddy the waters. She added that "he will fail because, ultimately, he is in government". "Members of Government are the decision-makers and they are answerable to and accountable to this House and to the Opposition."

There were further testy exchanges and heckling from both sides of the House before Mr Varadkar responded, noting that he had seen "plenty of members in the Opposition nodding when I said this, that accountability applies to everyone - Government and Opposition and Independents".

"It is clear that Deputy McDonald does not think so," he said.

Paschal Donohoe

The tense interaction came after the Taoiseach strongly defended Public Expenditure Minister Mr Donohoe, describing him as “a man of integrity” and “someone we can trust”, amid controversy over discrepancies in his declarations.

Mr Donohoe has been under pressure to explain the particulars of his 2016 General Election expenses following the revelation that he had not declared the donation of services worth just under €1,100.

Mr Varadkar said the matter should be examined by the Standards in Public Office Commission which will decide whether an investigation is appropriate.

"We should allow it to make a determination as to whether the rules were broken. This is a political chamber. We all know how this plays out if we allow it to become a party-political matter. It should not be. 

"We have ethics legislation and standards legislation. It is set up to be independent of this place. That body should be allowed to do its work, and we should not be so quick to rush to conclusions in that regard."