SINN FÉIN SAYS that comments made during an RTÉ Budget 2024 programme yesterday were not directed at Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, but rather the Fine Gael party as a whole.

During a debate, aired before the budget announcement, Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said, while responding to Carroll MacNeill: “I’m sure Pearse Doherty will look forward to debating with you after this budget and I’m sure he’ll look forward to putting manners on you.”

Carroll MacNeill, seemingly taken aback by the remark, then asked repeatedly “what does that mean?” as the Donegal TD went on to criticise Fine Gael’s record on “people on lower incomes.”

Fine Gael reacted strongly to the comments, with a spokesperson calling them “menacing and misogynistic.

“Is this how the Sinn Féin leadership is happy to treat women politicians? This was the Sinn Féin Chief Whip speaking to a female Junior Finance Minister on live Budget Day TV. It was highly visible and every woman watching would have seen that.”

But in a short statement, Sinn Féin said that “Pádraig Mac Lochlainn was clearly referring to the Fine Gael party and not any individual, as he made clear during the broadcast.”

His comments came after Carroll MacNeill said “I can show you all of the [budget] figures, Pádraig, if you need me to take you through it … and don’t worry I can do that when the budget speech is on.”

After the exchange, host David McCullagh quickly moved onto the live budget broadcast, and did not return to it.