Sinn Féin politician seeks permission for Dáil statement on Liberty Recycling

Sinn Féin Teachta Dála Aengus Ó Snodaigh has asked the Ceann Comhairle for permission to make a statement in Dáil Éireann regarding his links to Liberty Recycling. Independent.ie and the Irish Independent both reported the request. Tánaiste Simon Harris stated that significant public concern exists because of the amount of taxpayer funding the organisation has received. [1][3]

The request comes amid legal proceedings involving the charity. According to the Irish Times, a Dublin based cleaning products company called The Rag Man has strongly denied claims by the Charities Regulator that it is controlled by a senior staff member at Liberty Recycling. Philip Moloney jnr, whose father is the chief executive of Liberty Recycling, stated that neither the charity nor its staff hold ownership or control of his company. [2]

The Irish Times reported that the assertions by the regulator were made in the High Court during an action to appoint provisional liquidators to Liberty Recycling. The regulator declined to comment further on the case. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the High Court had appointed a provisional liquidator following concerns raised by the Charities Regulator after Irish police seized luxury vehicles and high value goods. [2][7]

Ó Snodaigh has served as a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South-Central constituency since 2002. As FTMQ News reported earlier, he serves as the chairman of Liberty Recycling, which is a Dublin based social enterprise focused on clothes recycling. [4][7]