Female Sinn Féin politicians ask Simon Harris to address Dail on Martin Conway scandal

Five female Sinn Féin politicians have written to Tánaiste Simon Harris to demand he addresses the Dáil on Martin Conway’s resignation.

Senator Conway resigned the Fine Gael whip on Sunday after it emerged he had been arrested on O’Connell Street last month while drunk.

He was also the centre of a Fine Gael investigation in 2020 regarding an alleged incident in 2018 when he was inappropriate toward a female staff member who was working for another TD.

Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly and Senators Pauline Tully, Maria McCormack, Joanne Collins and Nicole Ryan wrote to Mr Harris stating he needed to speak to the Dáil about the details of the investigation into Mr Conway and take questions from TDs.

They said: "You are aware of the very serious concerns around the behaviour of Senator Conway.

"It is of particular concern that Senator Conway allegedly acted inappropriately with a member of Oireachtas party political staff. That a sum of €10,000 was paid out in respect of this incident.

"Questions must be answered as to why this money was paid out, to whom was it paid and what was the purpose of making such a payment.

"Senator Conway was subsequently supported by the Fine Gael party in contesting elections to the Dáil for the Clare constituency and thereafter to the Seanad as your candidate.

"There are many questions to be answered and it is necessary that as Tánaiste and Fine Gael Leader that you to come before the Dáil this week and make a full statement and take questions on these matters.

"We look forward to hearing from you shortly."

In the Dáil, Sinn Féin’s Mairead Farrell also asked for the Tánaiste to address the Dáil.

She said a request at the Business Committee to put the matter on the Dáil schedule has been declined.

The Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy told Ms Farrell that she could not make allegations in the Dáil and was asked to withdraw them.

Mr Harris responded: "I addressed this matter [on Wednesday].

"What I do want to say, to be helpful to the house, is a disciplinary process will commence.

"I don't want to say anything that in any way cuts across that or indeed impedes on people's privacy and the need to respect the person's privacy, in terms of the woman here as well.

"But I expect the highest standards to be upheld, and I expect all of these issues to be considered as part of that process.

"We are talking about an incident which occurred and was addressed by my party some years prior to my leadership.

"But there is a disciplinary process."

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