Sinn Féin has stated that it won’t contest the nomination of party councillor Caroline Dwane-Stanley to an eminent EU committee. Dwane-Stanley is married to Brian Stanley, previously the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee who severed ties with Sinn Féin camouflaging the internal disciplinary investigation he was undergoing as a fabricated legal proceeding.
Mr Stanley, who has been a leading figure in the influential committee since 2020, was the focus of an undisclosed complaint lodged by a woman. According to Sinn Féin’s head Mary Lou McDonald, the woman was extremely distressed following the incident. Mr Stanley, post his exit from the party, lodged a counter-complaint against this woman, which was subsequently transferred to the An Garda Síochána by Sinn Féin.
As Sinn Féin’s sole councillor in County Laois, Dwayne-Stanley now takes up a role within the Committee of the Regions of the EU. This consultative assembly consists of locally elected officials who deliberate on the direct impact of EU legislation on cities and territories. Within a year, the committee holds six meetups in Brussels to review upcoming laws and plan follow-up steps by the EU.
The Irish constingent within the committee consists of nine representatives, all councillors. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael each account for three representatives with Sinn Féin, Independent, and Labour having one each.
The decision to nominate Ms Dwayne-Stanley was taken before misconduct allegations involving her husband circulated, who has been a TD since 2011. She remains a member of Sinn Féin, without having tendered her resignation.
She has been rather restrained in her public statements about the scandal. Laois Live reported that she expressed gratitude for the overwhelming community support during a challenging time. She added, the community, her ultimate employers, have been phenomenally supportive, for which she is immensely grateful.