Row over ‘telling lies’ referred to Oireachtas committee

A Dail exchange in which the Taoiseach is accused of charging Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald with “telling lies” has been referred to an Oireachtas standards committee.

Last Wednesday, Ms McDonald said that Micheal Martin had accused her of telling lies while he was speaking in Irish, and asked him to withdraw the remark.

At the time, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy, who is not a fluent Irish speaker, said she could not rule on something she did not hear.

Mr Martin told the Dail he did not call the Sinn Fein leader a liar.

He had been heard saying in his reply to Ms McDonald during a debate on housing: “Ta an Teachta Dala ag insint breaga aris.”

This can be translated to “the TD is telling lies again”, while Mr Martin has contended that “breaga” can alternatively be translated to “untruths”.

Under Dail rules, allegations that a TD was guilty of being deceitful are considered disorderly.

Sinn Fein has asked for the remark to be withdrawn, while a spokesman for the Taoiseach said this would not happen.

Ms Murphy addressed the Dail before Leaders’ Questions on Tuesday and told deputies that she was referring the matter to the committee in a bid to “avoid any further disorder”.

She said: “We need to get on with the business of administering the affairs of the State, rather than arguing endlessly over how we administer the affairs of this House.”

She further explained: “Deputy MacDonald has made a complaint that the Taoiseach accused her of telling lies.

“The essence of the Taoiseach’s response is that he did not make such remarks. He says he accused the deputy of telling untruths.

“By way of context, the Taoiseach in his response further references many instances where members of the opposition – none of which include Deputy McDonald – used the word liar or variations thereof in the previous Dail without sanction.”

Ms Murphy said the matter of parliamentary language had to be taken seriously.

“I will bring all correspondence to the Committees on Procedure and privileges for their consideration in the broader context of standards in the use of parliamentary language as reference has been made to the liberal use of the word lie in the previous Dail.

“I’m now also laying the correspondence before the Dail, which effectively is publication for members.”

Ms Murphy also said she would circulate a 2010 report on parliamentary language to see if needs to be re-examined and “made fit for purpose” for the current Dail.

Sinn Fein chief whip Padraig Mac Lochlainn said Mr Martin was “demeaning his office” and called on the Taoiseach to withdraw the remarks.

Mr Martin said he took issue with “what has happened here today”. He added: “I have not been allowed address this in any shape or form and I have offered.”