Thomas Gould asks to address Dáil after facing fraud allegations
Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould has contacted the Ceann Comhairle to seek an opportunity to address the Dáil after he was arrested on Friday for questioning by gardaí investigating an alleged €150,000 business fraud almost a decade ago. Mr Gould was released without charge later that evening.The Cork North Central TD has said he is entirely innocent and rejects the complaint made by his former employer.Speaking on Monday, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said she understands that Mr Gould has been in contact with Verona Murphy seeking the opportunity to address the Dáil on the matter.Ms McDonald said she is happy to answer questions herself, whether inside or outside of the Dáil, but any comments could not cut across ongoing inquiries by gardaí."I think when an issue becomes a matter of public concern and comment, I believe it is important to be upfront and to be transparent," said Ms McDonald."In the first instance, Thomas Gould himself wishes to address the issue in the Dáil so I think that is appropriate and I am available to answer questions on this or any other matter."When asked whether Mr Gould should step aside from his role until a decision is reached by the DPP, Ms McDonald said that while the investigation is ongoing, Mr Gould has a job to do representing the people of Cork North Central and he is anxious to continue doing so.Ms McDonald said Mr Gould emphatically denies the allegations, has co-operated with gardaí by providing a detailed statement and believes he will be vindicated.The party was made aware of the complaint against Mr Gould in "early February" and the Cork TD was named as spokesperson for urban regeneration and renewal, planning, public realm and local government on February 18.A party spokesperson said: "Deputy Gould continued in his role from the previous term as junior spokesperson on housing and urban renewal. He was not appointed to the front bench."The party has said that Mr Gould, who is currently undergoing treatment for bowel cancer, has its unequivocal support.Sinn Féin councillor Kenneth Collins was also arrested as part of the same fraud probe.Mr Collins’s solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said that his client was arrested by appointment in January and questioned for a number of hours, before also being released without charge.Earlier The Taoiseach said he is concerned that any statement made by Mary Lou McDonald in the Dáil on the arrest of Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould could impact a garda investigation.Micheál Martin said: "I would question it, frankly, because I believe that it's very early days for Dáil statements."We do have separation of powers, and I would have thought that the obvious thing for now would be to await the due process and see what transpires. There can be plenty of time in the aftermath of that process for questions," he said.Speaking to reporters in Austin, Texas, Mr Martin said: "My view in matters that are before the gardaí is that due process should always prevail, my experience would say that we should allow the gardaí get on with the investigation actually. I've always been reluctant to dive in in the midst of a garda process."He added that in "more recent times" there seems to be "a tendency to cast that aside" and cases sometimes "end up in the media very prematurely".Mr Martin added: "I think they were arrested by formal appointment to answer questions and I think the matter needs to be allowed take its course, and I don't really want to comment beyond that."
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