Another Sinn Féin TD has resigned from the party, the second in a week.
Brian 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”.
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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 Fein 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.
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