Web Summit Chief Executive Paddy Cosgrave has accused Tánaiste Michéal Martin of "hiding behind Dáil privilege" and mounting a "highly inappropriate" attack on his reputation.
In an interview with RTÉ's This Week programme, Mr Cosgrave said the Tanáiste was trying to distract from a report about Minister of State Niall Collins' role in a land deal involving his wife, when he named him in the Dáil.
The Web Summit founder said it was "highly inappropriate for any politician to use Dáil privilege to attack a citizen."
Mr Cosgrave said he expects the Oireachtas Committee on Parliamentary Procedures and Oversight to determine whether Mr Martin should be censured, or be asked to retract his comments or apologise.
During the Dáil session on 27 April, Mr Martin described Mr Cosgrave as a "political opponent" with an agenda to "take down the Government."
He said the Ditch website, which is funded by Mr Cosgrave’s company, was "not independent", a claim which has been disputed by the website’s editor.
During the Dáil session the Tanáiste pointed out that one former director of the Ditch, Chay Bowes, had appeared on Russian state television, and had written an essay which he said was "blaming the West for the war in Ukraine."
Mr Cosgrave said "I take issue with it being alluded to that I am somehow involved in some Russian-backed attempt to destabilise Ireland or the Irish Government."
The Web Summit CEO rejected any suggestion that his own persistent online attacks on the Government relate to a dispute between Web Summit and the Irish Government in 2015 over a request for logistical supports to allow the continued staging of the conference in Ireland.
Following the dispute, Web Summit left Ireland and relocated to Portugal.
"Long before Web Summit ever left Ireland I was outspoken about my view on cronyism and how Ireland ultimately functioned" he said.
Qatar
Mr Cosgrave said his anti-corruption stance is focused on Ireland, and does not extend to Qatar, where his company Web Summit will stage a conference next year.
Asked whether he would raise any concerns about the abuse of migrant workers if he meets the leadership of Qatar next year, he said: "No, that's not my place."
"The internal affairs of that country are a matter for Qatar."
"The ethical value of my actions is proportionate to their outcomes. I know that I can have a positive impact on Ireland and I can help highlight…wrongdoing and criminality."
Asked if he had any concerns about the effect of Qatar’s discriminatory laws on LGBTQI people who may attend his conferences, Mr Cosgrave said: "I don’t, Leo Varadkar went to Saudi Arabia, Tim Cook regularly travels to the Middle East, so I don’t. No."
