Five Sinn Féin reps write to Tánaiste demanding he makes Dáil statement on Martin Conway

FIVE FEMALE TDS and senators from Sinn Féin have written to Tánaiste Simon Harris asking that he answer questions about Senator Martin Conway in the Dáil. 

Conway resigned from the Fine Gael parliamentary party on Sunday following his arrest for public intoxication at the end of last month.

It has also emerged that the senator was subject to a separate internal Fine Gael inquiry, over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female party staff member in 2018.

In a letter sent to the Tánaiste and leader of Fine Gael yesterday, TDs from Sinn Féin said it is “necessary” that he come before the Dáil this week to make a full statement and “take some questions” in relation to Conway. 

The letter was sent by TD Louise O’Reilly, and senators Maria McCormack, Pauline Tully, Joanne Collins and Nicole Ryan. 

“You are aware of the very serious concerns around the behaviour of Senator Conway,” they wrote in the letter.

They said it was of “particular concern” that Conway “allegedly acted inappropriately with a member of Oireachtas party political staff.”

Referring to claims about Conway that initially appeared in the media at the weekend the letter said that “a sum of ten thousand Euros was paid out”. 

“Questions must be answered on why this money was paid out, to whom it was paid and what was the purpose of making a payment.” 

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“Predates my leadership by many years”

Deputy Louise O’Reilly also raised the matter in the Dáil yesterday and quoted media reports, initially by the Sunday Times, that “a sum of ten grand” (€10,000) was made in payment” by Conway following the alleged incident.

Harris, she said, should make a statement about Fine Gael’s investigation “into Senator Martin Conway for inappropriate behavior to a female staff member”.

Asked about the matter yesterday morning, the Tánaiste told reporters that the issue “predates my leadership by many years”. Leo Varakdar was leader of Fine Gael at the time in 2018.

Harris said that the party had investigated the issue and determined that no further action would be taken.

“From my perspective, when the issue had been examined, when an apology had been issued, when it was deemed at that stage that no further action was required, it would be a very unusual thing for a new leader to then reopen a matter that in that context was deemed to require no further action many years past,” Harris added.

Conway, from Co Clare, was re-elected to the Seanad in the period between the arrest and the first reports of the incident.

In a statement on Sunday, he attributed the public intoxication incident on January 22 “due to consumption of sleeping tablets and alcohol”.

A disciplinary process into Conway’s arrest will now be conducted by Fine Gael.

Harris said “any disciplinary process would also look at the person in the round” and would involve whether there have been “other issues” for the individual concerned.

With reporting from Press Association.

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