Aengus Ó Snodaigh asks to make personal statement to Dáil in relation to Liberty Recycling probe

SINN FÉIN TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has asked to make a personal statement to the Dáil in relation to the ongoing investigation into Liberty Recycling, the charity he is chairperson of. 

Issues with the charity came to light in October after it was raided in Dublin by gardaí investigating alleged money laundering.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Ó Snodaigh or members of the board. 

Speaking to reporters at Leinster House today, Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane said Ó Snodaigh has contacted Dáil Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to request time to make a personal statement in relation to the controversy surrounding the charity. 

“I’m very conscious that Aengus got involved in this charity in the first instance for all the right reasons. As republicans, we are very active and rooted in our communities, and charities play obviously an important role in that. And obviously, that was Aengus’s motivation,” Cullinane said.

“I’m also conscious that there are a number of investigations, including a criminal investigation in which Aengus is not part of, as you know, but he’s very conscious of his role as a director, and obviously wants to play his part in relation to any investigations.

“He has already engaged with the regulator. He said he will make himself available to An Garda Síochána if that’s necessary, and any other investigation as well. So I think we have to allow due process. We have to allow all of those investigations to take their course,” he added.

Speaking to reporters on his way into cabinet this morning, Tánaiste Simon Harris called on Ó Snodaigh to make a statement to the Dáil, saying it would be “absurd” if he did not. 

“Could you imagine if this was any in any other party, what Sinn Féin would be calling to happen?,” he said.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the situation involving Liberty Recycling is “very, very concerning”.

Investigation

Liberties Recycling – trading as Liberty Recycling – is a textiles recycling social enterprise that aims to assist people affected by drugs. It operates nine charity shops nationally, as well as a sorting depot, and has around 95 employees, according to court documents.

In wide-ranging searches across Dublin and other counties in October, gardaí targeted locations where they seized two BMW X5 cars, watches and designer bags as part of the investigation into the charity. No one was arrested by gardaí.

The searches were led by detectives from the money laundering investigation unit at the garda’s National Economic Crime Bureau.

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Two BMW X5 cars with a combined estimated value of €250,000 were seized during the searches. 

Last week, High Court documents revealed that bank accounts belonging to Liberty Recycling have been frozen.

In the lengthy petition to the High Court, the charity regulator appealed for Liberty Recycling to be wound up, with liquidators appointed and the charity’s existing funds rerouted to a charity with a similar service.

The High Court approved the request for liquidators to be appointed.

The Charities Regulator said it has concerns that some of the conduct of individuals within the charity appears to be “unlawful and/or was carried out for the benefit of an organisation, membership of which is unlawful”.

The regulator stated in a petition to the High Court that there is no evidence that Ó Snodaigh or the two other directors of the charity, Linda Behan or Brian Behan, were involved or had knowledge of any wrongdoing. 

The regulator stated that it first became aware of an investigation being carried out by gardaí into the charity’s finances in July 2026, and went on to assist gardaí. On 14 October, two representatives of the regulator met again with gardaí.

They were informed that gardaí were investigating “suspicious transactions” being routed through the charity, which comprised “substantial international transfers of funds” that were “not commensurate” with the charity’s level of activity.

The watchdog said it was informed by gardaí that the investigation is focused on the activities of “senior personnel at the charity” and the suspected laundering of proceeds of crime through the charity’s bank accounts.

Concerns were flagged over a number of vehicles that appeared to have been purchased by Liberties Recycling.

The watchdog also stated in its petition that previous searches at the home of a senior staff member in 2025 resulted in €34,705 being found “in suspicious circumstances”, which was believed to have belonged to the charity.

The named trustees at the charity, including Ó Snodaigh, are not under investigation.

Gardaí are also investigating the purchase of a Porsche in 2025, and separately the purchase of a 2026 BMW jeep, the latter vehicle being registered in the name of Liberty Developments, but in possession and control of a senior staff member, the petition said.

Includes reporting from Emma Hickey and Mairead Maguire