FORMER TÁNAISTE MARY Harney has made a formal complaint to the Dáil Ceann Comhairle after she was named by Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald in the chamber.

Last week, McDonald claimed that Harney shut down an inquiry in the then Department of Enterprise into alleged tax evasion by former politicians because of links to her predecessor as Progressive Democrats leader, Dessie O’Malley.

The Sinn Féin TD made her claims in the course of naming former Fianna Fáil ministers Máire Geoghegan Quinn, Ray MacSharry and Gerry Collins as well as former Fine Gael finance minister Richie Ryan as having held secret, offshore, illegal bank accounts.

All of those named by McDonald under Dáil privilege last week have denied the allegations contained in a dossier, known as the Ansbacher Dossier, by a Department of Jobs whistleblower.

Harney has also stated that she never at any stage was influenced “by any of the many names brought to my attention by the Authorised Officer in the course of his seven year investigation”.

The former minister said her goal was always to ensure that matters related to the Ansbacher accounts were investigated “thoroughly and dealt with correctly by the competent authorities”.

Harney’s complaint over McDonald’s claims has been made in writing and will be dealt with by the Dáil’s Committee on Procedures and Privileges next week, the Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett told TDs last night.

Read: Mary Harney denies shutting down offshore accounts inquiry

Read: What’s all this about a whistleblower, a dossier and some politicians dodging tax?

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