Dublin: The Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, has been caught up in the figures regarding election expenses. According to the opposition, a businessman paid the minister’s expenses and appointed him to the LDA.
The scandal surrounding Paschal Donohoe’s 2016 election expenses has engulfed both the minister and the government. The political world of Ireland is waiting for the decision of the Standards in Public Office and Ethics Legislation (SIPO). Sinn Féin has stated that the minister cannot avoid this controversy.
The minister has recused himself from all matters, including legislation related to SIPO, due to this issue. The government’s only consolation is that the minister’s resignation has not been demanded since Fianna Fail.
Dono is a TD for Dublin Central. Last week, the minister’s colleague, junior minister Damien English, resigned.
According to the party centres, the minister failed to provide the election authorities with an account that included the use of a vehicle for 140 euros and the wages of six people who worked for 957 euros putting up posters, etc. But the opposition explains that this controversy does not end there.
A Sinn Féin spokesman claimed that Dono’s vehicle and labour hire figures were provided by businessman Michael Stone, who was later appointed to the Land Development Agency (LDA). Dono’s spokesperson, denies any involvement.
Mr. Stone was appointed by then-Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy in 2019. According to the LDA spokesperson, he is entitled to a salary of 15,750 euros but has yet to receive it.
He has served on the LDA board since the agency’s inception in January 2019. When the LDA Act went into effect in December 2021, he was reappointed. Members of the board, like other state agencies, are entitled to remuneration, travel expenses, and so on. “However, Stone has yet to receive a single euro in this category,” said the spokesperson.
Paschal Donohoe was appointed last week to oversee an update to Sipo’s abilities. But in the wake of the junior minister’s resignation and his disclosure, it did not happen.
Deputy Prime Minister Martin stated that Minister Donohoe had accurate election expense figures. Martin stated that the SIPO should be allowed to conduct their investigation and that the proper procedures should be followed. Catherine Martin, the Deputy Leader of the Green Party, has also spoken out in support of Dono.
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