Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The programme for Government commits to reviewing our electoral laws. Political parties, as the Taoiseach will know, receive substantial sums of taxpayers' money and are subject to strict rules on how it is expended and, importantly, how it is recorded. Last week Deputy Pearse Doherty told "Prime Time" that SIPO is not investigating Sinn Féin. On Thursday The Irish Timesreported that SIPO is examining the party. On the following day, I believe, Deputy McDonald told The Irish Timesthat Sinn Féin's money was fully accounted for but admitted that her party had been questioned by SIPO over its declarations. If Deputy McDonald says her party's finances are all accounted for, surely she and Deputy Doherty, the party's treasurer since 2015, will have no problem addressing this issue in the House to allay the very serious concerns we all have with each new revelation. If they have nothing to hide, they should be able to debate the matter in the House. If it were any other party, I am sure we would have already had the debate. Can time be set aside for this important debate?

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