Dowdall donations raise more questions for McDonald and Sinn Féin, TD says

James Cox

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald has more questions to answer following the latest revelations concerning convicted criminal Jonathan Dowdall's financial support for the party, according to Fine Gael TD Fergus O'Dowd.

Dowdall has been jailed for four years for facilitating the 2016 murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.

A €1,000 donation he made to Ms McDonald had previously come to light and a report in the Sunday Independent has claimed Dowdall made a number of donations to Sinn Féin.

The Independent reported that Dowdall purchased a table at a fundraiser for Ms McDonald and her constituency at Dublin's Gresham Hotel.

Mr O'Dowd said: "We now learn, however, that Sinn Féin went on to accept further financial donations from Dowdall, including at a high-profile fundraising dinner for Deputy McDonald and her constituency at Dublin's famed Gresham Hotel.

"Just how much has Sinn Féin accepted from their former councillor, who has been convicted of torture and is now imprisoned for his role in the Regency Hotel murder, a murder which sparked a succession of appalling killings."

The Louth TD added: "Deputy McDonald and Sinn Fein need to clarify the exact amount she and the party have received from Dowdall and do the right thing by giving every cent to the new Community Safety Innovation Fund which directly helps communities affected by crime."

Ms McDoanld has said she was "profoundly shocked" to learn of Dowdall's "criminal activity".

"Had I had, even an inkling, 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," Ms McDonald said.

A Sinn Féin spokesperson told BreakingNews.ie: "Jonathan Dowdall made a single donation to the party of €1,000 in 2011 and he also purchased tickets to a dinner dance and a local event."