Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has said that Senator Keith Swanick has “serious questions” to answer over his attendance record.
The double-jobbing Senator and GP has become the latest politician to become embroiled in 'fobgate'.
This follows former TD Dara Murphy fobbing in at Leinster House and claiming over €50,000 in expenses while also working a fulltime job in Brussels.
In Mr Swanick’s case, he was fobbing and also working in his main job as a doctor in Belmullet, Co Mayo, four hours away from Dublin.
Mr Martin said: “In terms of fobbing and so on, I think first of all, there is no correlation between fobbing and political behaviour in itself, and that needs to be stated.
“That said, I think that people have to be fulltime of politics in the sense of pursuing issues.
“I said it in the Dáil recently that there’s two fundamental roles to a politician.
“There is the representation role, which involves representing people, both within your constituency but nationally as well.
“So for example, I would have been representing people (lobbying on the) medical cannabis issue.
“Vera Twomey came to me even though she is not in my constituency.
“I’ve worked night and day on that issue alone, apart from being party leader and so on.
“I would work with other people to get licenses for them, to import medicinal cannabis, and work with the Department of Justice and Gino Kenny (TD) is involved in that campaign too. “There’s a representative role and there is a legislative role.
“You want to suggest new laws, you put in private member’s bills.
“And that’s the true measurement of the politician’s worth, you know, in terms of both the representation role, the campaigning role, the legislative role.
“It’s far more comprehensive than whether somebody fobs in or not.
“That’s not just a general point.
Mr Martin was then asked directly about Mr Swanick and whether he has serious questions to answer.
“I accept there is an issue there.
Keith Swanwick has been involved in campaigns as a politician and I’m not aware of what Dara (Murphy) has been involved in for the past two years.”
