A solicitor for the second Sinn Féin elected representative, arrested by gardaí in relation to alleged financial irregularities at a company, has said he denies the allegations.
Solicitor Frank Buttimer, on behalf of Sinn Féin Councillor Kenneth Collins, confirmed this morning that the councillor was arrested by gardaí and questioned as part of the same investigation that Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould was questioned about on Friday.
Mr Buttimer said that he accompanied Mr Collins to Togher Garda Station for an appointment with detectives involved in the investigation on a date in early January.
He confirmed Mr Collins was arrested when he met the detectives, and was detained under section four of the Criminal Justice Act. He was questioned for several hours.
Mr Collins denies any wrongdoing.
Mr Collins has been a Sinn Féin member of Cork City Council since 2014, representing the Cork City north-west ward.
"He was made aware of the details of the allegations, which he hadn't heard before then," Mr Buttimer said. "He fully co-operated with the garda enquiries and he denied any wrongdoing of any kind."
RTÉ News contacted Mr Collins directly but has received no response.
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Last night, Mr Gould confirmed he was arrested over financial irregularities at a company he previously worked in, and that he "utterly" rejected the claims. He was released without charge.
In a statement, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the party was alerted of the incident in "early February". She said Mr Gould was interviewed by gardaí in Cork on Friday and made a detailed statement to them. The Sinn Féin statement continued that "a number of other people have been questioned as part of garda inquiries".
In a separate statement last night through Cork-based solicitors Martin A Harvey, Mr Gould repeated the Sinn Féin position.
He said he "utterly rejects the complaint" made against him and is "entirely innocent", adding that he was "shocked and angry" when the issue emerged.
He continued that as he is being treated for bowel cancer, he proactively sought an interview with gardaí, before describing the allegations as an "attack on my reputation" and that he is confident he will be vindicated.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan said that to her knowledge Mr Gould made the party aware of a complaint against him in early February.
Speaking on The Week in Politics programme, Ms Boylan did not say whether or not the party was aware of Mr Collins' arrest in early January.
"She [Mary Lou McDonald] said she was informed in early February, that’s what I’m aware of, and that Thomas Gould will deny the allegations and defend his name," Ms Boylan said.
On the same programme, Independent TD and Minister of State Michael Healy Rae said he expects that Ms McDonald will be "very forthcoming with the knowledge she has of the situation" over the coming weeks.
