DONEGAL Dail Deputy Pearse Doherty has called on the Government to open the doors of the Dail bar to everyone.
The Gaoth Dobhair politician described the bar in Leinster House as a “den of secrecy” which is only open to TDs, Senators, staff, press and certain visitors.
The public can gain access to Leinster House as guests of Oireachtas members and, as such, are eligible to use the visitors’ bar, but not the members’ bar.
Writing in his blog the Sinn Fein man said the bar was “a place that represents all that is wrong with Irish politics. It is elite, exclusive and secretive”.
He also demanded that a photograph of former building society boss Michael Fingleton removed from a wall in the bar.
Mr Doherty said he was shocked to see a photograph of “none other than Michael Fingleton surrounded by a bunch of current and former Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs and Senators”
The golf team photograph of Mr Fingleton also features then TDs Austin Deasy, Hugh Byrne, Tom Enright, Robert Molloy and the late Colm Hilliard, Senators Denis “Dino” Cregan and Donie Cassidy.
They were the winners of the 1987 Army-Garda-Press-Oireachtas Challenge Cup for golf, presented by Irish Nationwide Building Society.
An Oireachtas spokesman said: “Any decisions concerning changes to the operation of facilities such as the Leinster House restaurant and bar as well as decisions on displaying pictures and photographs are dealt with by the relevant internal House committee.
“These are cross-party groups of Oireachtas members . . . any Oireachtas member is free to make a representation to the appropriate committee.”
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