Sinn Féin demeans women and is ‘power and money mad’, ex-councillor claims

Sinn Féin exists in a constant state of "Civil War," treats women unfairly and is "power and money mad," according to a former party councillor who resigned two years ago amid an internal row in East Cork.

Fermoy based councillor, June Murphy, quit Sinn Féin in 2015. Cllr Murphy, who is now an Independent, went on the record for the first time on Friday about leaving Sinn Féin.

She told Cork’s 96FM that she was first elected for the party in 2014. Ms Murphy said she initially had high hopes.

”I felt excited about it. But the next year was an absolute nightmare. I didn’t realise that I was after walking in to the middle of a Civil War. That’s the only way to describe what was going on in East Cork. It just amazes me for a party that talks about transparency and justice and democracy... all those words but none of it exists in the party. None of it.”

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Cllr Murphy conceded bickering goes on in local politics. However, she stressed that Sinn Féin is a particularly “aggressive” and combative party.

“It’s really aggressive and nobody is stopping them. It is a culture of men. It gives you the illusion that they support women. They tell the women what to do.

"I was told one day Mary Lou (McDonald) goes to the gates of the Dáil and she does exactly what we are doing. She does what she is told.

"When you look at how prominent some of the TD's are up there yet they have no voice. I hear Vincent Browne and it is funny when I see shows where he says 'Sinn Féin have a very democratic way of electing their party leader'. They do in their arse. You are told who to vote for all the time and he (Adams) is always the only name. What is democratic about that?"

Cllr Murphy said she was elected as a Sinn Féin equality officer but there was never a meeting about same.

She said there was nothing “independent and transparent” about a party culture that sees councillors investigating other councillors.

“All the complaints in the country go to the same structures. I know of several other councillors in the country... we do talk and they have said about their experiences and every one has the same systematic abuse. It is all I can describe it as. You think you are going mad. You are strung along all the time. The effects of what I went through. Well I had a complete burnout after it. Extreme anxiety. Walking on eggshells all the time. You don’t get support. You are completely isolated. You are always waiting to be attacked.”

Sinn Féin asked Cllr Murphy to resign from her seat when she left the party. However, she refused and is still working as a councillor.

She said she “worries” about people who join the party, particularly the young and idealistic who are easily “groomed.”

The Sinn Féin press office described Cllr Murphy’s comments as being an insult to their membership.

”Sinn Féin refutes these claims. They are an insult to the thousands of party members across the country, particularly the women members of our party many of whom are outraged at councillor Murphy’s comments today.”