Taoiseach Micheál Martin has formally declined to apologise for claims that he said Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was telling lies in the Dáil last week, saying: "I cannot withdraw a remark I did not make."
Mr Martin made the comments in a letter to the Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy yesterday, which was released this evening by the Oireachtas library.
During a Leaders' Questions debate on the housing crisis last Wednesday, the Taoiseach responded to Ms McDonald using the phrase "ag insint bréaga" - which translates to "you are telling lies".
Sinn Féin responded by saying Mr Martin breached Section 422 of the Dail's standing orders, adding the comment was baseless and must be retracted.
Section 422 states: "Every Member states what is known to him as the truth, and it is on that basis that debates are conducted."
The rules then definitively rule out a Member accusing another of being: "a liar, lying or telling a lie; telling untruths or not telling the truth; deliberately misstating what was said".
Despite the Taoiseach telling the Dáil at the time that he did not call Ms McDonald a liar, Sinn Féin made a formal complaint to Ms Murphy, saying the remark needed to be retracted and that Mr Martin needed to apologise.
However, in correspondence released by the Oireachtas library, which includes the transcript of the Dáil debate and previously reported on correspondence between the Ceann Comhairle and Deputy McDonald, a letter from the Taoiseach has made it clear he will not apologise or retract the remarks.
Read more: Moment of truth: Did Taoiseach accuse McDonald of lying?
In the letter, the Taoiseach repeated his defence that he technically did not break standing order rules.
The Fianna Fáil leader also accused Sinn Féin of being "hypocritical" in the letter, saying those in the party have previously accused him of lying.
The Taoiseach's letter notes a number of examples of this, including 29 May 2024 when he said Matt Carthy "explicitly called me a 'liar'"; 27 June 2024 when Pearse Doherty "accused me of deliberately misleading the House"; 29 May 2024 when David Cullinane "accused the current Tánaiste of lying" and 17 April 2024 when he said Mr Doherty and Mr Cullinane "accused the current Tánaiste of lying".
The Taoiseach said that "to date none of these remarks have been withdrawn", adding "there cannot be one rule for Sinn Féin deputies and another for the rest".
Mr Martin also used a number of paragraphs of his letter to argue over the interpretation of the phrase "ag insint bréag".
He said the phrase means "a falsehood" or "untruth" rather than "bréagadóir, éitheoir or scaitseálaí" which, he said, are a more accurate way to call someone a liar.
While the Taoiseach referred to the Ó Dónaill Irish English Dictionary (1977) and Dinneen's Foclóir Gaeilge agus Béarla (1934), this is strongly disputed.
Gaeilgeoirs often consider Foclóir Úi Dhónaill Gaeilge Bearla to be the definitive translation guide between the languages, with this book saying "bréag" translates as "lie, falsehood".
Meanwhile the Ceann Comhairle told the Dáil the complaint from Ms McDonald will be referred to the Committee on Procedures and Privileges.
Ms Murphy earlier said the Taoiseach sent her correspondence which included references where, on many occasions in the previous Dáil, the word liar was uttered without sanction.
She said her overriding consideration in dealing with this matter is the efficient running of the House and the administration of the affairs of State.
TDs have to take the use of language in the Houses of the Oireachtas seriously, she said.
Ms Murphy said that the issue of bad language had been examined in 2010 and a report was circulated to members of the House.
This is to be re-issued to all members and also sent for examination by the Committee on Procedures and Privileges for assessment.
Additional reporting Paul Cunningham
