Sinn Féin to nominate TD Mairéad Farrell as next chair of the Public Accounts Committee but other parties say they won’t cooperate

But other parties are talking about withholding their consent for Sinn Féin to replace former chairman Brian Stanley, who has left the party.

Mr Stanley says he will now contest the next general election as an Independent Republican.

Ms Farrell, 34, is a new TD, first elected at the last general election in 2020. But she has earned a reputation as a serious political operator.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has said her party will not cooperate with any attempt to replace Mr Stanley as chairman without further clarification of the circumstances around his departure.

Fine Gael's Ciarán Cannon, who sits on PAC, also said he would not be amenable to Sinn Féin co-opting another member as the new chair.

Under the d'Hondt mechanism, the main Opposition party fulfils the office of chair of the powerful committee.

The adopted positions could now lead to a lengthy stand-off over the attempted appointment.

Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein party leader, said: "I am very pleased to nominate a TD of Mairéad's calibre to this key role in the Oireachtas."

Mairead Farrell has only just joined the PAC — replacing Louth Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster, who will not contest the next general election.

The Public Accounts Committee performs a very important function in its scrutiny of how public money is spent and holding the government and other bodies to account.

Ms McDonald said it was particularly important to provide such oversight "when we have a Government that is synonymous with serial waste and incompetence when it comes to the public purse.

"We've seen a catalogue of scandals around the waste of public money with the bicycle shed, the security hut, the phone pouches and of course the ongoing debacle of runaway costs and never ending delays regarding the National Children's Hospital," she said.

"As the lead party of Opposition, it is for Sinn Féin to nominate the Chairperson of the PAC. I will be nominating Mairéad Farrell TD to the role. Mairéad brings a considerable wealth of knowledge on budgetary matters."

The Public Accounts Committee meets on Thursday morning for the first time since the "Stanley scandal" broke.

Ms Farrell has previously served as SF spokesperson on Public Expenditure and subsequently as party spokesperson for Further and Higher Education.

She boasts a Masters in Finance degree and a Degree in Economics and worked in finance, all of which will further assist her in fulfilling the role.

Ms Farrell this week introduced the 'Transparency and Social Value in Public Procurement Bill', a private member's initiative.

It is aimed at improving the functioning of the public procurement system. It is an issue she has been proactive on during her time in the Dáil.

Ms McDonald said Deputy Farrell was a highly respected across the Oireachtas.

"She is meticulous, forensic and incredibly detail focused.

"She has the qualities to chair a committee of this nature in a fair and impartial manner. She will bring a real energy, work ethic and unwavering belief in public money being used in the best interests of the people."