Sinn Féin leader Mr Gerry Adams has accused the Minister of Justice of having a party political agenda against his party.
"I am sure that the Garda Síochána are not telling Michael McDowell that we are a colossal crime machine, I'm sure of that," Mr Adams said on RTÉ Radio.
"For a Minister of Justice to make those kind of remarks I think is evidence of a party political agenda as opposed to anything else," he continued.
"There are members of other parties who have been imprisoned because of their involvement with corruption and other activities - I don't tar any member of those parties. I don't tar or try to tar their entire electorate with the awful smear and slur of criminality," he added.
In relation to the the money-laundering uncovered in Co Cork and in Dublin and the reported Sinn Féin links, Mr Adams said: "I don't want to be tainted with criminality. I don't want anyone near me who's involved in criminality I will face up to all of these issues if and when they emerge.
"Such a serious situation would take very serious reflection from myself and others in Sinn Féin. I don't want to make a knee-jerk reaction," Mr Adams said.
"I think we need to be measured about all this, let's not downplay the situation but lets not tar everyone with the same brush," he added.
Mr Adams was speaking from Bilbao in the Basque Country where he is publicising his book. He is due to return this evening.