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Bitter spat erupts between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald
The Taoiseach and the Sinn Féin leader have traded their most personalised insults yet in the Dáil – each accusing the other of corruption.
Micheál Martin said Ms McDonald was “leading with your chin,” and said Sinn Féin had a history of corrupting Irish life through murder, mayhem and rape.
She retorted: “Ansbacher. The Galway tent. Go away out of that. You are pathetic.”
The row initially broke out over housing, with Ms McDonald raising the O’Devaney Gardens project in Dublin’s North Inner City and an alleged threat by the developer to sell on properties to a rental fund. Refurbishment of the site has been plagued by problems for years.
“The reason why this has dragged on and on is because your buddies, who had a public-private partnership arrangement (PPP) with the State, went bust and let the entire community down. I could go on. I don’t have the scope to recount the corruption, the corrupted nature of your relationship.”
Mr Martin’s policy was that sweetheart tax arrangements with vulture and cuckoo funds should continue, she said. “It’s your policy that’s causing so much hardship to an entire generation of people that you have locked out of home ownership and who endure extortionate rents. That’s on your watch,” she said.
The Taoiseach told Ms McDonald that Sinn Féin had corrupted public life “to a far greater degree than any other party in this country.”
Stung by her attack, he retorted: “You corrupted the moral code of our country in our society, by the murder and mayhem that you perpetrated – and that you still endorse
“You still support the narrative of murder and mayhem.
“And you also support the undermining of women who were raped by IRA volunteers and your party covered it up.”
The charges were the most serious and severe that Mr Martin has levelled as Ms McDonald in their deteriorating relationship in recent months.
Using a boxing term implying hypocrisy or weakness, the Taoiseach told her: “Do not come into to this House and lead with your chin.
“You consistently try and rewrite the narrative and bury the truth and the level of corruption your party engaged in.”
Ms McDonald interjected: “You are pathetic.”
The Taoiseach: “You are good at rewriting, at spinning. You don’t like the truth.”
The Sinn Féin leader responded: “I think you need to start answering some questions.”
Mr Martin said: “You keep saying things… they’re just sort of slogans.”
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