Taoiseach accused of calling Mary Lou McDonald a liar as Gaeilge

Sinn Féin claimed Micheál Martin was taking advantage of the fact that Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy would not understand the comments he made in Irish

During a heated exchange in the Dáil over housing, Mary Lou McDonald (right) said that Micheál Martin (left) had called her a liar in Irish and asked him to withdraw the accusation.

The Taoiseach was accused of calling Mary Lou McDonald a liar as Gaeilge with the Ceann Comhairle's lack of Irish becoming an issue.

During a heated exchange in the Dáil over housing, Ms McDonald said that Micheál Martin had called her a liar in Irish and asked him to withdraw the accusation.

As Verona Murphy is not an Irish speaker, she did not know whether Ms McDonald's assertion was fact.

Ms Murphy asked Mr Martin to withdraw the comment "if you made those remarks, I am not aware that you did".

Mr Martin was heard saying in his reply to Ms McDonald during a debate on housing: “Tá an Teachta Dála ag insint bréaga arís”. It translates to: “The TD is telling lies again”.

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty claimed Mr Martin was taking advantage of the fact that Ms Murphy would not understand the comments he made in Irish.

Taking to her feet amid shouts from various TDs, Ms Murphy said: "I can't rule on what I didn't hear. I accept that [Ms McDonald] believes it was said. The Taoiseach has said that he has not said it."

Ms McDonald was told that she could make a complaint in writing and the matter would be dealt with.

Leading up to the row, Ms McDonald claimed Mr Martin was "singing from the same hymn sheet as the lobby groups for big institutional property funds" in an interview with the Irish Examiner last Saturday when he said: "There's been a tendency in the debate in Ireland to attack funds."

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The Sinn Féin leader said Fianna Fáil is being led by the interests of property funds and continuing with an approach that has "failed abysmally".

Mr Martin denied announcing the end of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) but rather said that it would be reviewed.

With the legislation for RPZs due to expire at the end of this year, Mr Martin said there would be an examination of adopting the German system or reference pricing.