Mary Lou McDonald compared to Donald Trump as Sinn Fein Dail motion of no confidence in Irish Justice Minister Helen McEntee defeated

The government won the vote by 83 votes to 63. There was one abstention.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald had accused Ms McEntee of failing “abysmally” in her responsibilities as the Dail debated the motion of confidence in her post following a stabbing attack and violent riot in Dublin city centre.

The government compared Ms McDonald to former US president Donald Trump as Sinn Fein was accused of “exploiting” the violent events for originally tabling a motion of no confidence in Ms McEntee.

Ms McDonald told the Dail on Tuesday: “It is the responsibility of the minister for justice to ensure that our streets are safe, to ensure that An Garda Siochana have the resources that they need. And she has failed in these responsibilities abysmally with very dire consequences.”

She added: “The minister’s position is untenable and she must go.”

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the original Sinn Fein motion was a “political stunt” as he expressed full confidence in the minister.

He said: “Removing the justice minister and the Garda commissioner, which is Sinn Fein policy, would be a victory for those who engaged in violence and incited violence on our streets.”

Mr Varadkar accused Ms McDonald of engaging in “absolutely disgraceful behaviour” after she said it took “nearly two weeks” for the government to reach out to the school community affected by the stabbing, in a remark understood to be about ministers meeting parents at the affected school.

He said: “The leader of the opposition has quite disgracefully misled the Dail. There was contact from the government with the school within 24 hours of the events.

“Several ministers did so. She knows that, it’s deliberate misleading and it should be withdrawn. I call on her to be decent for once and withdraw it.”

Minister Josepha Madigan further described the Sinn Fein leader as “Mary Lou Trump” over the comments.

Ms McDonald said she would not withdraw the remark and that she had stated facts.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin expressed confidence in Ms McEntee and accused Sinn Fein of seeking to “intimidate opponents and journalists alike”.