Doherty: 'Public deserve full transparency from government on World Bank decision'

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, has called for full transparency from government about the decision to give the World Bank €10 million more than they had requested.

Responding to reports in the Irish Daily Mail, Teachta Doherty said: “This is a very serious revelation by the Daily Mail that Paschal Donohoe recommended giving the World Bank €10 million more than had even been requested."

Documents show Donohoe opted to provide the World Bank with €141.4 million on 24 April 2025, even as officials in his department recommended giving significantly less. The World Bank itself recommended that Ireland give €131.4 million.

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“It won’t be lost on people that this was just before the process of preparing the budget that left workers and families worse off. When requests from many different groups, like disability campaigners, fell on deaf ears as they were told to make do with less.

“This is a very unusual decision and raises serious questions. It is vital that the public is given full transparency, particularly as Paschal Donohoe went on to take up a €600,000 job with the bank just months later.

“We need to know why this decision was made by the Minister for Finance and approved by the government. We need to know when Paschal Donohoe became aware that there was an opening for a top job with the World Bank and when he became aware that he was being considered for the position.

“This is important because it would be inappropriate for the Minister to recommend this funding increase without informing his government colleague of any conflict of interest.

“The public deserve to be assured that this was not the case. There needs to be complete transparency around this decision.”