One of Sinn Féin’s best-known TDs, Brian Stanley, has resigned from the party saying it had gone to “extreme lengths” to damage his reputation and character and that an inquiry he was brought before resembled a “kangaroo court”.
Deputy Stanley is Chairman of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee and a Sinn Féin TD for Laois Offaly.
In a statement reported by the Laois Today he said: “I am announcing my resignation from Sinn Féin with immediate effect.
“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.”
This week, Kildare South TD, Patricia Ryan also said she was leaving Sinn Féin, saying questions she wanted to ask the party leadership at a meeting were “vetted”, adding that the party did not heed warnings of members regarding the two referendums earlier this year, and also “curtailed” her Facebook posts.
An election is expected to be called by the government before Christmas.