LAST UPDATE | 16 Jun 2022

TÁNAISTE LEO VARADKAR and Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty clashed in a bitter exchange of personal insults in the Dáil.

Varadkar and Doherty were debating the cost-of-living crisis when the Fine Gael leader was accused of being “out of touch” on the matter.

Doherty, Sinn Féin’s finance spokesman said the Tanaiste should be “a bit more humble” in his response given that the DPP is considering allegations against him under the Corruption Act.

Varadkar accused Doherty of hurling another “cheap shot” and a very personal shot against him during leaders’ questions.

“It says a lot about you, and the nature and the character of kind of person you are and it’s particularly strange coming from you because you were prosecuted,” Varadkar added.

You abused, mistreated a garda siochána. For that you were prosecuted, you were found guilty. Yes, you got away without a conviction because of your age at the time. But you were actually prosecuted, you were arrested. That’s what happened to you.

He added: “In your party there are a huge number of convicted criminals in your party and in your wider republican family, whether that is tax dodgers like ‘Slab’ Murphy, a good republican, according to Mary Lou McDonald, a good republican, a tax dodger.”

“People who were convicted for murder. We know what your party’s attitude is to rape and paedophiles and what you’ve done in relation to that.

“So your cheap shots say a lot more about you than they do about me.”

In a statement this evening, Doherty said: “Almost three decades ago I was involved in a very minor breach of the peace in Dublin city centre. It was dealt with under the probation act. It has been covered in the media on numerous occasions.

“The fact that the Tánaiste has to grasp for this to cover his decade long failure in government is very telling. He would be better off doing his job and supporting people who can’t heat their home or put diesel in their car to get to work,” he said.

The row erupted after Doherty made comments about the rising cost-of-living and a dinner hosted by Varadkar on last night. 

“Government has a moral duty to support those who are struggling and protect the most vulnerable but those who need it most have been left behind.  This government has refused to act,” Doherty said. 

While Fine Gael toasted its success in government last night, the reality is many families are being pushed to the brink.  The last thing they are thinking about is raising a glass to Fine Gael’s success because they are worried about how to get to the end of the week, pay the bills at the end of the month or put food on the table for their children.

Varadkar said the remark was a “cheap shot”.

“I hosted a dinner last night to thank colleagues for their years of service and there was no public money involved.  Sinn Féin hosts dinners in America, charging people €1,000 per plate to attend, and the party leader flies first class to get there,” he said. 

“That’s what you do in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and I believe she’s (Mary Lou McDonald) about to announce another first-class trip to Australia, which she should be undertaking in the next couple of weeks where she’ll be clinking champagne glasses with the Trinity alumni in Australia and meeting the Australian Business Association,” Varadkar said.

Additional reporting by Jane Moore