Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen has said that Paschal Donohoe should not be “hounded out of office” as he called for a mechanism to allow for political punishments like suspension or loss of pay.
The Public Expenditure Minister is facing significant pressure over the coming days ahead of his scheduled Dáil questions and answers session next Tuesday.
The opposition has called on Minister Donohoe to provide further information about his failure to declare expenses incurred during the 2016 General Election campaign.
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Businessman Michael Stone paid six individuals to hang up and take down posters for the Fine Gael TD. The €917 labour costs associated with this work were not declared by Minister Donohoe. The use of a van, estimated at €140, was also not disclosed.
Although he appeared in front of the Dáil on Tuesday to make a statement, the opposition criticised the fact he did not take statements. Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said that when former Agriculture Minister Barry Cowen refused to answer Dáil questions about an alleged drink driving offence in July 2020, he was sacked by then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Cowen insisted that he did not think Mr Donohoe should be fired over this matter.
However, he indicated that there should be a mechanism in place that would allow punishment such as suspension or loss of pay if further details emerge.
Deputy Cowen said: “I accept there has to be some accountability, there has to be some recourse. There has to be some form of punishment if that materialises.
“We don't have a provision for that in legislation presently.
“Should it be in the form of loss of pay, should it be in the form of suspension for a period? I don't know. But he definitely shouldn't be hounded out of office.
“To do the comparison with me, of course, people will say Micheál Martin sacked me because I refused to answer questions in the Dáil as I favoured due process in the form of an independent investigation by GSOC [the Garda Ombudsman].
“This week, Paschal Donohoe said in the Dáil that he wouldn't answer questions favouring due process in the form of an independent investigation by SIPO.”
Mr Cowen said that he “does not subscribe” to the idea that Minister Donohoe should have to “suffer the same consequences” as he did.
However, he said that when the Government is drafting new ethics legislation, punishment such as suspension and docked pay should be included.
He continued: “I don't believe [Minister Donohoe] should be sacked because of that. I think there should be some means by which he can receive a sentence or a wrap on the knuckles, whatever it is.
“But not one that says that that man is no longer in public life or can no longer contribute to the well-being of our country or State.”
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