Taoiseach says ‘due process should prevail’ in Gould arrest

The arrest and questioning of two Sinn Fein politicians was “prematurely” publicised, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheal Martin said “due process should always prevail” during garda investigations.

It comes after Cork North Central TD Thomas Gould and Cork city councillor Kenneth Collins attended pre-arranged appointments with gardai over a complaint of alleged business fraud.

Sinn Fein said both men, who were released without charge, “emphatically deny the allegations” against them.

Asked about Sinn Fein choosing to reappoint Mr Gould as a party spokesman, Mr Martin said: “My experience would say that we should allow the gardai get on with the investigation, actually.

“I’ve always been reluctant to dive in in the midst of a garda process.

“In more recent times, there seems to be a tendency to cast that aside. These are fundamental principles of due process, so I would err on the side of allowing the process to take its course.”

He added: “I don’t really want to comment beyond that. It’s interesting, cases of this kind – and it’s the nature of things – but they end up in the media prematurely it seems to me.”

Asked about Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald signalling a willingness to make a statement on the matter in the Dail, Mr Martin said: “I would question it, frankly, because I believe that it’s very early days for Dail statements, where questions have just happened.”

He said Mr Gould and Mr Collins had been arrested by appointment and asked questions by the gardai without any conclusion.

He added: “There’s a process to be followed. We do have separation of powers, and I would have thought that the obvious thing for now would be to await the process and see what transpires.

“And there can be plenty time in the aftermath of that process for questions in the Dail.”

Gardai said their investigation into the alleged offences is ongoing.