Taoiseach hits back at 'false' Sinn Féin idea he flew home from Japan early for hurling semi-final

Micheál Martin accuses SF of 'political you-know-what' and says officials swapped his itinerary through Dubai for one via Toronto following Iranian strikes on Bahrain

Taoiseach Míchéal Martin with GAA president Jarlath Burns during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final between Cork and Dublin at Croke Park last Saturday. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The Taoiseach has accused Sinn Féin of "political you-know-what" over "false" suggestions he changed his flights home from Japan to attend a Cork hurling match.

Micheál Martin had spent last week on a trade mission to Japan and returned on Saturday morning, flying via Toronto, Canada and landing in Dublin early on Saturday morning. 

He was later in attendance at Croke Park as the Cork hurlers booked their place in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final with a win over Dublin. 

Mr Martin had originally, in a schedule given to journalists prior to the trip, been scheduled to fly home through Dubai on a flight which would have landed in Dublin on Saturday at midday.

At Wednesday's Oireachtas finance committee meeting, Mr Martin denied that the flights were changed in order for him to attend Saturday's game, which threw in at 5pm at Croke Park. 

In a robust exchange with Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty, Mr Martin said that his officials had raised concerns following Iranian strikes on Bahrain, that airspace in the Middle East could be closed or that flights home would be at risk of cancellation and, thus, the flights were changed.

The people who were organising on my behalf took a view that the Middle East was problematic in terms of cancellations and activity and they took this route. 

Mr Doherty said that it was "bizarre" that the Government Information Service would give advice to journalists around train timetables in Japan but not about security risks.

Mr Martin said that Mr Doherty had "made an assertion that was wrong" that his flight home was changed specifically to attend the match.

"The truth does matter. This had nothing to do with the match," Mr Martin said.

"The match was on at 5pm. One route got me in at 8am and one at midday. This is nothing to do with budgets or anything. 

This is political you-know-what, stirring it up and that's what you're at and it's regrettable.

Mr Martin said it was "rubbish" to suggest that he was concerned that a cancellation would lead to him missing the semi final.

He accused Mr Doherty of "asserting falsehoods" around the issue, saying that the final costs have not been reconciled. 

He said that Mr Doherty had "deliberately asserted a false story" and that this was "outrageous" and "bad politics".

The final costs of all Taoiseach's travel are published on gov.ie on an ongoing basis.