SINN FÉIN BROKE a long-standing rule that political parties are not allowed to use the grounds of Leinster House for party political broadcasts in a recent film aired on TG4.
The party could now be the subject of a complaint to the Dáil’s Committee on Procedures and Privileges (CPP) by any TD or Senator after its finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty recorded a message for the party’s Irish language party political broadcast on the grounds of the Oireachtas.
Sinn Féin confirmed that the broadcast was filmed in the car park on the Kildare Street side of the Oireachtas complex:
Doherty said he “wasn’t party to the direction of the film”, and said that he hadn’t heard of any complaint being but that if one is made “we’ll deal with it”.
All political parties as well as independents mostly observe a long-standing rule that they must not film any political broadcasts on the grounds of Leinster House.
A spokesperson for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission confirmed the rule and said it is becomes a matter for the CPP if a member of the Oireachtas makes a complaint.
Independent TD Catherine Murphy, who sits on the CPP, criticised Sinn Féin saying: “Rules are rules, they’re there for a reason. The grounds are not to be used for party political broadcasts.
“From our point of view, we don’t even get a chance to break the rules because we don’t
even get the opportunity to have a political broadcast equivalent.”
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