SINN FÉIN’S REFERRAL to gardaí of a matter related to in internal inquiry involving TD Brian Stanley was made subsequent to Stanley’s resignation at the weekend, party leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.
McDonald confirmed the timeline of the reporting of the matter this morning.
Stanley, a TD for Laois-Offaly and the chair of the Public Accounts Committee, announced late on Saturday he was stepping away from the party with immediate effect due to what he called a “seriously flawed” internal procedure.
A complaint was made against Stanley during the summer that initiated the party’s inquiry. A counter-allegation of a “serious matter”, McDonald said, was subsequently made.
A preliminary report was given to both sides involved in the matter last week and they were given seven days to respond, McDonald told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
However, on the foot of Stanley’s resignation, the internal process was suspended.
The issue was then passed on to gardaí.
McDonald said that the party did not initially make the garda referral when it first received the complaint because it had not been of a criminal nature.
“Had the initial complaint been of a criminal nature, it would have gone straight to An Garda Siochanam” McDonald said.
I want to be clear here: I am not in a position to say whether or not the complaint or the counter-allegation meet the standard for criminal investigation. That’s not my job.
She added: “But I am far happier that the complaint and the counter-allegation are now in the hands of the gardaí and they can do what they deem to be appropriate.”
McDonald said the referral was made “in an abundance of caution, because I was not happy, nor would I be happy, with the party left with a serious complaint and a serious counter-allegation”.
Asked why it was Sinn Féin that went to the gardaí rather than any of the individuals involved, McDonald said the individuals were free to do so and that she “can only account” for the actions of the party, adding that she “wants matters concluded”.
She said: “As the leader of Sinn Féin, when complaints are made, when there is a question of behavior or standards within the party, I make no apology to anybody for insisting that the rules are applied fairly, without fear, without favour.”
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