GARDAÍ HAVE CONFIRMED that they have received documents from Sinn Féin in connection with the party’s internal investigation into complaints against TD Brian Stanley.

Sinn Fein and Stanley have found themselves at the centre of a political storm after the Laois-Offaly TD resigned from the party late on Saturday, stepping away after 40 years of membership due to what he called a “seriously flawed” internal investigation.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the party undertook an internal disciplinary process to look into a complaint that was made against him in July and that during the investigation a “counter-allegation” was made. 

Sinn Féin said they referred documents to gardaí on Sunday after the completion of a preliminary report from its internal inquiry.

However, garda sources have said officers have not yet been able to locate the letter Sinn Féin claims it submitted on its internal investigation against the Laois-Offaly TD.

Sinn Féin has told The Journal that a party official delivered the letter at front desk or public office in Kevin Street Garda Station at 4pm on Sunday. They said that the letter details the allegation against Stanley and his counter claim, including text messages associated with it.

The first complaint relates to 11 October 2023, and a counter-allegation relates to an incident on 13 October 2023.

A garda spokesperson has confirmed today that the organisation has received the letter from Sinn Fein but did not confirm that it has received a counter allegation from Stanley.

“An Garda Síochána has received correspondence from a 3rd party organisation.

“An Garda Síochána is not making any further comment,” the statement said. 

Sources have said that the letter, which includes transcripts of text messages, will be examined and reviewed and it will be determined by gardaí if there is a criminal matter to investigate at that time. 

McDonald said that a preliminary report was furnished to both individuals – Stanley and the complainant – last week but that, on foot of Stanley’s resignation on Saturday, the internal process has been suspended and the issue has been referred to gardaí.

Sources have said that such a letter from a political party’s internal human resources section would not automatically initiate an investigation. They would have to hear from the complainant who alleges wrongdoing.

It is understood gardaí will examine the letter and determine if a criminal probe is warranted.

McDonald said in the Dáil yesterday that the woman who made the complaint against the Laois-Offaly TD had been “traumatised”. Sinn Féin has said the complaint is not criminal in nature.

“The complaint made against Deputy Stanley is very serious. The complaint relates to an incident that took place in October 2023 and relates to Deputy Stanley’s personal behaviour leaving the complainant, in her words, traumatised and distressed,” McDonald said.

“In the course of the inquiry into the complaint against Deputy Stanley he raised a counter allegation against the complainant, and a very serious one.

“The allegation caused deep concern and Deputy Stanley was advised he should go to the gardaí. He chose not to,” she said. 

But in a statement published by Laois Today, Stanley has said the Sinn Féin leader had abused Dáil privilege “in a desperate attempt to shift the focus from her own party’s practices regarding a ‘complaint’ against me, the contents of which I refute”.

“This comes after days of inaccurate statements and insinuations from Sinn Féin, along with selective briefings delivered with the clear intention of damaging my reputation and to shift the spotlight off the party,” he said.

“What was also revealing from her statement in the Dáil, is the level of double standards that now operate and pertain in Sinn Féin.”