Former Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has accused Mary Lou McDonald of “abusing Dáil privilege” in remarks she made about him on Tuesday.
Speaking in the Dáil, Ms McDonald said that she had been unaware of the detail of the “very serious” complaint made against Mr Stanley until Saturday night, when he issued a statement.
“The complaint relates to an incident that took place in October 2023 and relates to Deputy Stanley’s personal behaviour leaving the complainant, in her words, traumatised and distressed,” she said.
Mr Stanley refutes the contents of the complaint against him.
The Sinn Féin leader also said Mr Stanley raised a “very serious” counter-allegation against the complainant.
“The allegation caused deep concern and Deputy Stanley was advised he should go to the gardaí. He chose not to,” she said.
“Deputy Stanley’s allegation also dates back to the incident of October 2023.”
Ms McDonald said Sinn Féin referred both matters to gardaí on Sunday after the completion of a preliminary report from its internal inquiry.
She added: “Deputy Stanley is responsible for his behaviour and he must account for it. For our part, Sinn Féin responded to a serious complaint and counter allegation in a correct and fair manner.”
In a statement on Tuesday evening, Mr Stanley said Ms McDonald “abused Dáil privilege in a desperate attempt to shift the focus from her own party’s practices regarding a ‘complaint’ against me, the contents of which I refute”.
“This comes after days of inaccurate statements and insinuations from Sinn Féin, along with selective briefings delivered with the clear intention of damaging my reputation and to shift the spotlight off the party.
“And all this, while a Garda investigation is ongoing on foot of serious matters I brought forward.”
The Laois TD Stanley said what was also “revealing” from Ms McDonald’s statement in the Dáil, was “the level of double standards that now operate and pertain in Sinn Féin”.
“In the interest of clarity, I again state the following: That the complaint against me, and which was not deemed to be of a criminal nature, was lodged on the 26 July and not 7 days later as Sinn Féin claim.
“I also state that it was deliberately kept from me that there was even a complaint.”
Mr Stanley said he wasn’t informed officially that there was a complaint until the July 31, and that this “followed a letter from my solicitor to Sinn Féin to demand official confirmation as to the existence of one”.
“I again welcome the fact that this matter is now with An Garda Síochána,” he added.
Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty dismissed as “nonsense” a claim by Brian Stanley that remarks by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald were a desperate attempt to shift the focus from Sinn Féin’s own failed procedures.
Mr Doherty also said he rejected Mr Stanley’s claim that he had been subjected to a “kangaroo court”.“
“Let’s make it clear, Brian was in attendance at the inquiry with the solicitor and his barrister. Our process is independent. It’s arm’s length and it is overseen by a practicing barrister. So I understand Brian is obviously in a difficult spot. He is lashing out. We have not put the details of his complaint into the public record,” Mr Doherty told RTÉ Radio’s .
“It would not be appropriate, but it is for Brian to come forward and to be transparent if he still wishes.”
Mr Doherty said it was an issue for Brian Stanley to “question whether he wants to make it clear as to what the inquiry was and why he responded when he got the preliminary report from the party in the way that he did, which was to resign from the party, and also why he didn’t bring issues that he brought to our attention in the middle of the inquiry to the attention of the Garda, which he had in his possession for about a year”.
Mr Doherty also explained that the reason why Ms McDonald had not been aware of the complaint against Brian Stanley until recently had been because the process was “arm’s length” and it would not have been appropriate for her to be informed until it was concluded.
Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Jack Chambers has criticised the “culture of concealment” within Sinn Féin and said there were serious and fundamental issues with the governance of the party.
Speaking on Mr Chambers said it was clear that, as a party, Sinn Féin was putting the interests of the party above those of people.
“It is a party that purports to propose itself as a party of change. But if they’re not fit to govern their own affairs, how are they fit to run a government? They clearly can’t be trusted. And it shows a total disrespect and disregard to the Oireachtas just in how they’ve acted in recent years. The behaviour of Sinn Féin has been a disgrace.”
“I don’t think Mary Lou McDonald is fit to lead any government. She clearly has no control of her own party’s affairs and is putting all aspects of Sinn Féin as a party and their interests over the public.”
Mr Chambers said he believed Ms McDonald’s leadership was “seriously questionable” and she did not have the capacity to run the affairs of her own party.
“Leadership is about doing the right thing in the public interest and being able to govern your own party and to promote the party’s position to the public. And clearly she’s been incapable of doing that and has brought that culture of concealment to the management of these affairs, which I think raises very serious questions for Sinn Féin whenever the next election is held.”
