Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty clashed in a heated debate in the Dáil that was marred by personal attacks.
In exchange about the rising cost of living, Doherty suggested that the government was “out of touch” and that Tánaiste should be “a little more humble” in his responses.
Mr Doherty said: “I really thought somebody who in which the DPP is currently assessing whether they’ll prosecute you under the Corruption Act maybe you would be a bit more humble in relation to your response.”
In response, the Tánaiste described the intervention as “cheap shot and a very personal shot”.
Mr Varadkar added: “It says a lot about you and the nature and the character of the kind of person you are. And it’s particularly strange coming from you because you were prosecuted.
“You abused, mistreated a Garda Síochána. For that you were prosecuted. You were found guilty. Yes, you got away without a conviction because of your age at the time, but you were actually prosecuted. You were arrested. That’s what happened to you.”
The Tánaiste continued: “And in your party there are a huge number of convicted criminals – in your party and in your wider Republican family. Whether that is tax dodgers like Slab Murphy – a good republican, according to Mary Lou McDonald, a good republican… a tax dodger. People who are convicted for murder. We know what your party’s attitude is to rape and paedophiles and what you have done in relation to that. So your cheap shots say a lot more about you than they do about me.”
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