The announcement of the resignation of Patricia Ryan, a Sinn Féin TD, has been made by the party’s chief whip, Pádraig MacLochlainn. On Wednesday evening, he stated that Patricia Ryan, a member of Sinn Féin since 2020 and previously a councillor for Kildare County, has chosen to leave the party. Her decision, he says, is disappointing as she was an integral part of the team.
The selection process for the candidate in the Kildare South constituency is due to take place in the upcoming week, with the process for submitting nominations commencing tomorrow morning. There’s a likelihood of a dispute over the candidacy, and although Patricia was encouraged to put herself forward, she declined.
Patricia announced today that she would not submit her name for consideration and subsequently submitted her resignation from the party. Patricia was one of many successful Sinn Féin candidates who secured seats for the first time during the 2020 general elections and led the voting within Kildare South.
There has been local gossip suggesting Patricia was about to face competition for her party’s nomination, perhaps from Kildare Council’s Shóna Ní Raghallaigh, who is also a primary school teacher. Patricia is yet to respond to requests for public comment on this issue and has not released a public statement. A local source from Kildare suggests she is discontent with her treatment within the party.
Patricia Ryan previously faced criticism for taking a holiday amidst the 2020 election campaign. A party representative justified her action stating it was a short holiday given as a Christmas gift by her children, which could not be rescheduled at short notice.
Sinn Féin has chosen over 50 candidates to take part in the impending future election. According to sources within the party, speaking to The Irish Times, the final tally of candidates could reach around mid-60. Following a disappointing display, securing less than 12% of the nationwide vote in the recent local elections, the party is currently working on determining the optimal number of candidates for the imminent general election.