Calls for the Fine Gael leader to come into the Dáil and “clear up serious questions that are in the public domain” about Senator Martin Conway have been ruled out of order by the Ceann Comhairle.
Verona Murphy told Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly that she should raise the issue with the Dáil business committee or during the party’s private member’s time.
Ms O’Reilly raised the case of Senator Conway who resigned from the parliamentary party after confirming he had been arrested “in an intoxicated state”.
He is facing a disciplinary procedure from Fine Gael.
He was arrested and later released without charge following an incident on January 22nd on Dublin’s O’Connell Street. He did not disclose the incident to Fine Gael at the time.
Speaking in the Dáil, Ms O’Reilly claimed Mr Conway had previously been involved in an incident in 2018 of “inappropriate behaviour” towards a young woman.
Ms O’Reilly called for the Ceann Comhairle to set time aside for Tánaiste Simon Harris to address the Dáil.
“We know that there was an investigation by Fine Gael. What we don’t know is what Simon Harris knew or when he knew it.”
She added that “we also know from media reports that a sum of €10,000 was made in payment”.
“Now Ceann Comhairle, I’m sure you will agree with me, a sum of 10 grand suggests a very, very, very serious incident. We are entitled to know what happened and I am requesting that time be set aside,” she said.
Ms Murphy called on the Sinn Féin TD “not to make allegations of that nature”.
Ms O’Reilly replied that “I did not make any allegations. I simply repeated ... I repeated what was in the media, in the public domain.”
She said: “I am asking you that you would put time aside to facilitate the Tánaiste to make a statement to clear up the serious questions that are now in the public domain.”
The Ceann Comhairle said she did not have the power to grant Sinn Féin’s request and said she had written to party whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn outlining that the party could raise the issue in its private member’s time or with the Dáil business committee.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said “it is an internal matter for the Fine Gael Party” and not appropriate for him to comment.
Separately, the Government was criticised over legislation to increase the number of “baby Ministers” from 20 to 23.
Labour finance spokesman Ged Nash said they would be adding “three new ministers of state to the bloated ranks of baby Ministers”, which he described as a “stroke to keep restive backbenchers on board”.
“We had 15 ministers of state in 2016. We had 20 in the last Government. There are 23 planned for this Government.
“The Minister is bringing legislation to the House tomorrow to provide for the increase in the number of ministers of state, which is entirely unjustifiable in anybody’s mind.”
He criticised the half-hour debate for amendments and said more time was needed for “this important matter”.
Mr Chambers said they were trying to “accelerate the timeline” because there were ministers of state in the marine area, older people and migration, who are going to be appointed and who “want to get down to work”.
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