Although Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald gave her only two hours to prepare to take the chair of the most powerful committee in the country last week, Galway West TD Mairead Farrell says she is ready.
The 34-year-old from Mervue has been elected as the first chair of the Public Accounts Committee to come from the West of Ireland, and its first chairwoman. She replaces Public Accounts Committee (PAC ) chairman, Brian Stanley TD, who resigned from Sinn Féin two weeks ago, claiming his party subjected him to a “kangaroo court” after allegations of misconduct.
“Well they chose me because I have a Master's degree in finance, and over the past four years I have brought forward numerous bills on public expenditure, procurement, transparency and accountability,” Farrell told the Advertiser.
Sinn Féin has been rocked over recent days by revelations that its officials gave references to a former employee being investigated for sex offences, resignation of its Kildare TD Patricia Ryan, and controversy surrounding former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile’s resignation over inappropriate text messages sent to a teenager.
Speaking before Farrell took the chair, fellow Co Galway TD Ciaran Cannon (FG ) told reporters he would not attend any PAC chaired by a Sinn Féin member, while the Social Democrats wanted the watch dog committee’s deputy chairwoman Catherine Murphy TD to take the reins.
“Well I would specifically have questions for the Soc Dems based on their party’s history in Galway,” Farrell told the Advertiser, confirming she was referring to the resignation of former Galway city councillor Owen Hanley who stepped down last year amid allegations of misuse of social media.
“The reality here is that [obstruction of the committee] is blocking democracy. It is the role of the lead opposition party to put forward someone for chair under the D’Hondt system of PAC. That is what we will be doing, and I want to get to work,” she said.
“Over the last number of weeks and months we have seen huge sums of money being spent on a bike shelter, a security hut as well as significant cost over runs in the National Children’s Hospital. Wastage of money is not confined to the environs of Dublin and must be held to account no matter where it takes place,” says Farrell.
“It is particularly frustrating for people in Galway and the West when many basic services have not been delivered while money is spent in a frivolous manner by state bodies. The bike shelter is only one such example with €336,000 spent while a much needed ambulance, which has had a decades long campaign, for Inis Oírr would cost less at €300,000. I think that it is important to bring a western perspective to this committee.”
“As chair I won’t tolerate such wastage and I will make sure that people are held to account when needed.”
Farrell is keen to begin, but the threat of an election hangs in the air.
“My job is to represent the people Galway. How long this PAC chairmanship will even last? That is probably another question... ”
Farrell introduced new legislation two weeks ago to provide greater transparency and accountability on public contracts.
Introducing her bill in the Dáil, the Sinn Fein TD highlighted the infamous Government Buildings bike shelter costing more than €300,000 and the National Children's Hospital, the cost of which she claims has "floated off into the atmosphere".
The bill was not opposed by Government, and she is hopeful of cross-party support.
