LAST UPDATE | 13 Oct
THE CHAIRMAN OF the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee Brian Stanley has resigned as a Sinn Féin TD.
The Laois-Offaly TD – one of the party’s best-known figures in Leinster House – said last night he was stepping away after 40 years of membership due to what he called a “seriously flawed” internal investigation in the party.
“I am announcing my resignation from Sinn Féin with immediate effect.
“After 40 years of service to Sinn Féin, I will now continue working as an Independent Republican TD on behalf of constituents, who have always treated me in a fair and respectful manner,” Stanley said.
In a statement published last night, he said that “on foot of a ‘complaint’ I was recently brought before an internal party ‘inquiry’”.
“Given what has transpired and the work of my legal team, what is very clear, is this process lacked objectivity, was seriously flawed and was devoid of impartiality.”
His statement added:
“Considering what I have experienced and how Sinn Féin has dealt with this and other matters across the wider party in recent months, I can no longer have confidence in it.”
Stanley has been a TD for Laois-Offaly since 2011. He was first elected to Laois County Council in 1999.
As the head of the influential PAC, the Dáil’s public spending committee, since 2020 he has made frequent media appearances in recent years and was particularly prominent at the height of last year’s RTÉ financial controversy.
Stanley confirmed the resignation to The Journal this morning.
The resignation comes on foot of the same for the party’s TD for Kildare South Patricia Ryan, amid her claims that the party had “undermined” her.
The party is also dealing with the ongoing fallout over references provided by two staff members for a former employee who’d been suspended from Sinn Féin as he was the target of a probe into child sexual offences.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed that a complaint was made against Stanley at the end of July “by a longstanding member of the party”.
“A panel was set up under our internal disciplinary processes to investigate the complaint. During the preliminary stages of the inquiry, further information was brought forward which resulted in a counter allegation being made.
Deputy Stanley’s rights were protected throughout this process. He had, as was his right, a solicitor and a barrister with him at the meeting with the disciplinary panel.
“A preliminary report was furnished to both individuals last week and they were given seven days to respond. At the same time outside legal advice was sought by the party.”
McDonald said the internal process “has now been suspended and the issue has been passed to An Garda Síochána”.
We will not ignore or hide away from difficult issues when they arise.
“These are not outcomes that anyone likes to see but let me be clear we have robust procedures for dealing with these issues and they will be followed at all times and apply equally to all members of the party.”
Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin Lynn Boylan earlier said she was sad to see Stanley leave the party, and defended Sinn Féin by saying there are “checks and balances” for all of its members.
“It’s not good news to wake up on a Sunday morning to hear that Brian Stanley has left. But there is, I suppose, checks and balances and processes when you’re a member of an organisation,” Boylan told Anton Savage on Newstalk.
“There was an investigation ongoing. Brian decided to leave before that process was concluded. During that entire investigation, his barrister and his solicitor were present at the meetings, so it’s disappointing that he didn’t allow the process to continue.”
She further called on Stanley to outline “what the allegation was” that led to the internal discipline process.
Boylan and the party’s justice spokesperson Pa Daly both criticised Stanley over his use of the term “kangaroo court” in his resignation statement.
Boylan claimed this was “deeply disingenuous and very loaded” phrasing, while Kerry TD Daly said the presence of a barrister and solicitor for Stanley at the internal meetings made it a “very strange kangaroo court”.
With reporting by Órla Ryan
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