Fine Gael has corrected Sinn Féin on claims that Jonathan Dowdall made a donation to the opposition party, when it was made to Mary Lou McDonald personally.
Dowdall was jailed for four years last month for his part in the 2016 Regency Hotel attack that killed David Byrne.
He made a €1000 donation to the Dublin Central constituency that same year.
A Fine Gael party spokesperson said today: "Gangland criminal Jonathan Dowdall made the donation to Mary Lou. Not the party."
"If it was made to the party, it wouldn't have needed to be declared by the party as it was below the threshold.
It was declared by Mary Lou McDonald in her [the Standards in Public Office Commission] returns."
Speaking to The Anton Savage Show today, Sinn Féin's spokesperson for housing Eoin Ó Broin said that the donation was made to the party.
"There's a question as to whether that money should be refunded or not ... but there's no issue in terms of SIPO compliance with the donation", he said.
"While I'm not excusing the errors that we made and, like I said, I think they're very sloppy, there is no question whatsover that we have breached any spending limits."
Sinn Féin's 'errors' are, according to the Deputy, a "world away" from Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe's discrepancies.
He said that Minister Donohoe has yet to explain the full value of the donation in kind from a business man.
'Perfectly legal'
Deputy McDonald said she became aware of allegations against Jonathan Dowdall in 2016, almost a year after he had left the party.
She asserts that it was a "perfectly legal, legitimate contribution" at the time.
"It was reported as per the rules and regulations and SIPO", she said.
"It would've been spent on legitimate political expenses and probably election expenses."
"Had I had even an inkling that he was involved in any form of criminality, much less what he now stands accused of, he wouldn't have been within a roar of me or within Sinn Féin."
Listen back to the full conversation here.
Main image shows Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Picture by: Sam Boal/RollingNews
