Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe has said that he is willing to go before the Dáil to make a statement on his undeclared election expenses.
The Irish Mirror understands that opposition TDs will send a joint letter to Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl requesting for time to be made available for the Fine Gael TD to take questions from TDs.
It comes following a call from the Labour Party for Mr Donohoe to make a statement when the Dáil resumes after the Christmas break on Wednesday afternoon.
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The Minister confirmed earlier this week that a complaint had been filed with the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) over allegations that he did not fully declare expenses incurred during the 2016 general election.
The Fine Gael TD confirmed that businessman Michael Stone personally paid six individuals to erect and take down posters before and after the election.
The cost of this labour amounted to €917, while the use of a commercial van was costed at €140.
Speaking in Leinster House on Tuesday morning, party leader Ivana Bacik said that Minister Donohoe and former junior minister Damien English should both make statements in the Dáil in the coming days.
Mr English resigned over a revelation that he did not declare that he owned a property when he applied for planning permission for a one-off home with Meath County Council.
Ms Bacik said: “We need to see Minister Donohoe and former minister English give full statements in the Dáil.
“We still have a scarcity of full information about the issues that have been raised in recent days.”
Labour TD Ged Nash also said that while Minister Donohoe needs to make a “full statement to the Dáil”, he also needs to participate in a questions and answers session to “clear up and clarify” what he described as “outstanding matters”.
The Irish Mirror understands that opposition TDs will send a joint letter to the Ceann Comhairle calling for Mr Donohoe to make a statement. It is unclear when this session would take place. Mr Donohoe is due to take parliamentary questions on public expenditure on Thursday morning.
A spokeswoman for the Minister told the Irish Mirror that he will appear in front of the Dáil if required.
“He has said he will participate in any process in the Oireachtas and will make a statement if required to do so,” she said.
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