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SINN FÉIN’S HOUSING spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has said Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe is not owed an apology after it was reported in recent days that there were expenses undeclared by Sinn Féin.
It was reported by the Irish Independent on Wednesday that Sinn Féin is to amend its 2016 election spending returns after an “oversight” led to the party failing to pay a €600 bill for a room at the Royal Irish Academy.
The party says it has no record of receiving an invoice from the Dublin venue and it was not included in the party’s election returns to the Stanards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) seven years ago.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ó Broin said there is a “world of a difference” between Sinn Féin’s situation and Donohoe’s failure to declare a donation of services to the ethics watchdog during the 2016 General Election campaign.
When asked if Sinn Féin owe Donohoe an apology, he said: “No, I don’t believe so, and the attempt by some politicians to draw an equivalance to what are effectively relatively minor administrative errors in our part, versus refusal and failure to declare very significant corporate donations in kind is a world of a difference.
“We have made a number of errors, and they have been brought to our attention in some instances by the media, and as soon as they have been brought to our attention we’ve rectified them immediately. That’s a world of a difference for Paschal.
“That’s a world of a difference from Paschal, who failed to declare significant donations, was notified in 2017, did nothing about it, was notified in 222, did nothing about it. Came before the Dáil once, didn’t declare his full donations, and still has very significant questions to answer.”
Sinn Féin housing spokesperson @EOBroin tells @morningireland
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 27, 2023
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform @Paschald is not owed an apology after it emerged Sinn Féin did not declare expenses for several events | https://t.co/2rvDjfWFiK pic.twitter.com/ktGE8UFvvr
Donohoe apologised again in the Dáil on Tuesday for the “difficulties” and the “distraction” from the Government’s work that the controversy around his postering in two general elections in 2016 and 2020 has caused. He confirmed that there had been a breach of 2020 election rules.
Ó Broin was speaking today after it was reported by RTÉ yesterday that Sinn Féin’s 2020 election expenses statement to SIPO will have to be corrected again after the party found further errors in its returns.
Two invoices with sterling values of £4,800 and £800 were sent by the party to SIPO in 2020, but the euro value should have been returned, RTÉ reported.
This means the party under declared its election expenses for 2020 by €945.
A party spokesperson told RTÉ: “This was an administrative error that should not have happened. It will be corrected and returned to SIPO.
“Both invoices were paid by the party in the south, at the following rates: Offline Central: €5601.25 and HotPress Sound: €943.96.”
The Irish Times then reported this morning that SIPO is investigating a complaint that Sinn Féin failed to account for spending on its Abú election data base election spending returns.
The newspaper reported that the complaint was made by a Fine Gael activist 15 months ago when the existence of the database was first revealed.
Ó Broin told Morning Ireland that the cost of hosting the website is €45 a month and that it is a recurring charge.
“Our understanding is that because it’s a recurring charge that it would have to be paid whether it was an election or not. There is no requirement to record it as an election expense. But it is recorded and it is published in our annual accounts,” he said.
“SIPO have written to us on foot of an complaint from a Fine Gael activist. We will absolutely respond to them,” Ó Broin said.
“What I’m saying is there is a world of difference between administrative errors, no matter how sloppy they are, and the refusal and failure to answer questions about significant corporate donations. They aren’t the same thing.”
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Why would the lead opposition party apologise for calling out the wrong doings of a sitting Minister. If they themselves have done wrong, then yes they should be held accountable also. But is it not the job of the opposition to question the actions of those in power and keep them on their toes. The only ones who should be apologising is FF for failing miserably as an opposition party before getting into bed with FG at the next election.
@Paul Linehan: Sinn Fein should apologise for their hypocrisy. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
@Paul Linehan: the only people sf should be apologising to are the general public
@Ciaran O’Mara: So you think that SF should apologise to Paschal Donohoe for questioning his story?…. Is that not what opposition parties do?…. Or are you just looking to see how many fellow ejits you can rope in to score points on your private members ‘fantasy thumbs up league’
@alan: For what exactly Alan?… Probably for not running enough candidates to succeed in winning an overall majority at the last election. Every party has skeletons in their closet. Some carried out more atrocities on the citizens of this country without pulling a trigger.
@Paul Linehan: the typical SF reply try to belittle those who have an alternative point of view.
@Mark Sheehan: Really Mark?… The belittling comments generally come from those who have nothing to add to the debate, they just try to side step it and post for thumbs up. If you read my comment I stated that SF (or any party for that matter) should be held accountable for wrong doings. There was a stampede of FG has beens and gombeens running at the press in Leinster House this morning to express their anger at SF, while slapping Paschal on the back for his wrong doings. That’s hypocrisy of the highest order and Ciaran should take note of it.
@Paul Linehan: “Every party has skeletons in their closet”. In some cases, literally.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: Yes, even FG/FF have real sketons in their closet, literally. In fairness all of this should have been put to bed by Paschal when he first went in front of the Dail to explain but he omitted certain details which turned the whole situation into a mini saga that dragged on longer than it should have wasting valuable Dail time. All of the opposition parties were critical of Paschal/FG.
@Ciaran O’Mara:SF certainly should not apologise to O’Donoghue. The fact SF now face issues is a matter they have to deal with. SF and other opposition parties were fully entitled to hold the government to account.
The difference in tone when rte are interviewing Sf is remarkable. Towards the deference/apologies given to pascal etc. nauseating.
@Bart Teeling: that because Paschal is such a nice guy
@Nigel Hayden: and he really never was in the IRA.
@John Mulligan: probably the only thing I believe about him
“Sinn Féin is to amend its 2016 election spending returns after an “oversight” led to the party failing to pay a €600 bill for a room at the Royal Irish Academy. ”
€600? That’s the best dirt they can dig up? Give me a break, the unpaid tabs at the Dail bar are bigger than that.
@David Bourke: I’d imagine there’s much, much more than can be dug up on Sinn Feinn. If they ever have the stones to run the country, it will be like shooting fish in a barrel for the opposition. The election expenses revelation was brought to the fore as it is currently relevant.
@David Bourke: those unpaid tabs should be followed up. Loss of revenue and vat.
@David Bourke: whatever happened to the 4million left to them ?
There must be some amount of broken glasshouses and loose stones around in SF circles these days !!!
@Sean Walsh: Paschal had no problem finding a Stone to throw Sean…. problem is the rock Michael was hiding under was moved and it left a smell!!!
Stone has a direct line to pascal, he was obviously doing it to get favours.
@Stephen Walshe: And what favours will SFs “supporters” want, if and when they get into power ????….. At least we know who FGs backers are!!!!! Doesn’t matter who is in power, they will give preference to their own. All this is just political play acting and a total waste of time…. Time that could be used for something useful.
Joke they’re all at in someway or other.
This is the nonsense that distracts from the real issues. It especially suits FFG because their housing policy is creating divisions in the country that could lead to very dark places indeed. I would say the most of us who would vote for sf next time round just to get FFG out but that doesn’t mean I have any hope in SF sorting things out. It’s just pure desperation because I know what FFG in power does.
@Shane Carroll: Fair dues to SF for creating this “change” narrative but as we’re seeing now, there’s not much difference in how FG and SF have behaved and I don’t hold out much hope of “change” if SF get into power especially as their populist policies and promises haven’t a hope in hell of being put in place. I’m no fan of FF or FG and would be left leaning and I’m too old in the tooth to be hoodwinked again by outlandish promises having been sold a pup so many times before. I’d be satisfied with politicians of true integrity, conviction, and desire for public service….. Not like current shower, on both sides of the Dail. There are a good few exceptions across all parties but they are very thin on the ground!!!!
Both are non stories hyped up by the media to be more than they are. Sinn Fein have no reason to apologise… However they are being very disingenuous about the narrative around each of these issues.
And just like that, the Damien English saga is swept under the carpet and ignored.
If they’re not prepared to apologise to the families of the disappeared or other victims of their fellow travellers in the IRA, they’re hardly likely to apologise for something so trivial?
The mental gymnastics from the Shinners is hilarious but we should expect nothing less from a party with little or no principles other than power, control and supremacy.
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