Taoiseach Micheál Martin has steadfastly refused to withdraw his controversial remarks calling Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald a 'liar', arguing that he did not use that exact term. Instead, he maintains he accused Ms. McDonald of telling untruths, sparking a heated exchange in the Dáil last week. This controversy has ignited a debate about the use of parliamentary language and its interpretation, particularly in the context of Irish.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has refused to withdraw his remarks calling Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald a 'liar', stating he 'cannot withdraw a remark he did not make'. Instead, the Fianna Fáil leader maintains he accused Ms. McDonald of telling untruths. This follows tense scenes in the Dáil last week during a housing debate when Mr. Martin said Ms. McDonald was 'ag insint bréaga arís'. Sinn Féin objected, claiming this translated to 'telling lies again' and suggesting Mr.
Martin used Irish to avoid Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy picking up on the remark as she is not fluent. Ms. Murphy wrote to Mr. Martin last week requesting he 'review' his remarks. In his response, the Taoiseach clarified that he could not withdraw remarks he did not make and cited instances where Sinn Féin accused him and Tánaiste Simon Harris of being a 'liar'. He wrote: 'I wish to clarify the interpretation of the phrase ag insint bréag. 'The widely used Foclóirie, which serves as the most popular electronic version of the Ó Dónaill Irish-English Dictionary (1977) defines bréag as 'a falsehood’ or ‘untruth'. 'Accordingly, ag insint bréag translates to 'telling a falsehood' or 'telling an untruth'. 'In contrast, to directly call someone a ‘liar’ in Irish, one would need to use terms such bréagadóir, éitheoir, or scaitseálai. 'Similarly, the authoritative Dinneen's Foclóir Gaeilge agus Béarla, published in 1934, equates bréag with ‘false’ and lists éige as the word for ‘lie’. 'Dinneen's dictionary is the gold standard and remains a highly respected authority in the Irish language. 'As the Gaelic language does not always allow for direct, literal translations, context and tone play a crucial role in interpretation. 'The examples above demonstrate a clear distinction between directly calling a person a ‘liar’ in Irish and stating that they have told falsehoods or untruths. 'It would be deeply concerning if linguistic assertions made by Deputies in the Dáil were accepted without proper scrutiny. Interpretation of the Gaelic language cannot be what Sinn Féin decides it is on a given day.' He added: 'I was accused by Deputy Mary Lou McDonald of using language that I did not use. Specifically, she claimed that I called her a liar, which I did not. 'As such, I cannot withdraw a remark I did not make.' The Taoiseach also labelled Sinn Féin 'hypocritical' and noted that on May 29, 2024, 'Deputy Matt Carthy explicitly called me a liar'. He provided three other examples between April and June of last year in which he or Mr Harris were accused of lying or misleading the Dáil, noting that 'none of these remarks have been withdrawn'. He added: “It is essential that the rules of the House are applied consistently and fairly to all members. There cannot be one rule for Sinn Féin Deputies and another for the rest.' In the Dáil, Ms. Murphy stated that the matter of language must be taken seriously and she would 'bring all correspondence to the Committees on Procedure and Privileges for their consideration in the broader context of standards in the use of parliamentary language.' A Sinn Féin source told the Irish Mirror that the letter was 'mansplaining' and Mr Martin was 'still a muinteoir at heart.'
Irish Politics Sinn Féin Fianna Fáil Dáil Éireann Micheál Martin Mary Lou Mcdonald Parliamentary Language
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