Brian Stanley, a leading TD and chair of the influential Public Accounts Committee, has announced his departure from Sinn Féin, making him the second in a week. This announcement comes on the heels of Patricia Ryan’s, the Kildare TD, exit from the party. Mr Stanley, as explained in a statement to Laois Today, decided to leave after enduring an internal party investigation following an accusation against him.
He criticised the inquiry caling it biased and flawed, and stated: “After enduring what I have and seeing how Sinn Féin handled this and other incidents across the party in the past few months, I can no longer trust in it”. Despite serving Sinn Féin for four decades, he intends to proceed as an independent Republican TD for his constituents, whom he says have always been fair and respectful towards him.
Stanley alleges that a certain faction within the party have made great strides to tarnish his reputation and character, and no stone was left unturned in their attempts. He regarded the internal party ‘investigation’ he was subjected to as severely defective, lacking objectivity and impartiality, and having no credibility, even equating it to a kangaroo court. He assured that the legal examination of this issue will go on.
Stanley, a Sinn Fein TD since 2011, took the helm of the Public Accounts Committee in 2020, a role in which he voiced his concern over issues like the overspending on the national children’s hospital.