Politics

Brian Stanley inquiry passed to An Garda Síochána, says Sinn Féin leader

Public Accounts Committee chairman resigns, saying he was brought before ‘an internal party inquiry’ and no longer has confidence in the party

Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Brian Stanley has resigned from Sinn Féin. Photograph: Collins
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Brian Stanley has resigned from Sinn Féin. Photograph: Collins
Pat Leahy
Sun Oct 13 2024 - 16:22

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said that the internal inquiry which led to the resignation of TD Brian Stanley has been referred to An Garda Siochana.

The party president said that after a complaint was made about Mr Stanley at the end of July, it set up an internal investigation.

In a statement, Ms McDonald said that during the inquiry “further information was brought forward which resulted in a counter allegation being made”.

The statement said that a preliminary finding was made last week and each side was given seven days to respond. It also sought “outside legal advice”.

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However, the party said that the process “has 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,” the statement said.

“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.”

Mr Stanley, a senior TD who is chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee, announced his resignation from the party last night. It comes after the resignation of Kildare TD Patricia Ryan last week.

In a statement to Laois Today reported late last night, Mr Stanley said his decision follows on from a complaint that saw him “brought before an internal party inquiry”.

He said the inquiry process was flawed and 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”.

Mr Stanley said: “After 40 years of service to Sinn Féin, I will now continue working as an independent republican TD of behalf of constituents, who have always treated me in a fair and respectful manner.

“In recent months a certain clique within the party have gone to extreme lengths to damage my reputation and character. No efforts have been spared by them in this regard.

“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.

“This ‘inquiry’ has been shown to have lacked any shred of credibility, not least due to a significant abuse of process. In many ways it resembled a type of kangaroo court. Legal examination of this matter will continue.

“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”.

Mr Stanley has been a Sinn Féin TD since 2011, and was appointed chair of the Public Accounts Committee in 2020, where he has been active on issues such as the overspends on the national children’s hospital.

Speaking to RTÉ’s the Week in Politics, the Sinn Féin justice spokesman Pa Daly said that the internal inquiry process that Mr Stanley was involved in had not concluded its work.

He said that Mr Stanley’s characterisation of the inquiry process as a “kangaroo court” was a “strange thing to say”. But he said he was sad to hear of Mr Stanley’s departure, adding that his former colleague had “good politics and a good sense of humour”.

He said he was not familiar with the details and has not yet spoken to party leader Mary Lou McDonald about the matter.

Pat Leahy

Pat Leahy

Pat Leahy is Political Editor of The Irish Times