1 week Ago
The Laois-Offaly TD accused the Sinn Fein leader of “a desperate attempt to shift the focus from her own party’s practices” on how it handled a complaint made against him. At the weekend, Mr Stanley resigned from the party and said he would run as an independent after a Sinn Fein internal inquiry into a complaint against him. The party referred that complaint and a “serious” counter-allegation to the Gardai on Sunday.
While addressing several controversies faced by Sinn Fein in the Dail on Tuesday, Ms McDonald said the complainant against Mr Stanley was left “traumatised and distressed” by his actions. Mr Stanley has dismissed the complaint against him and claimed he was subjected to a “character assassination” by a clique within the party, likening it to a kangaroo court. In a new statement issued on Tuesday night, Mr Stanley said that there was an attempt to damage his reputation and “shift the spotlight off” Sinn Fein.
“What was also revealing from her (Mary Lou McDonald’s) statement in the Dail, is the level of double standards that now operate and pertain in Sinn Fein,” he said in a statement. “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 July 26 and not seven days later, as Sinn Fein claim. “I also state that it was deliberately kept from me that there was even a complaint.
“That I wasn’t informed officially that there was a complaint until July 31 and this followed a letter from my solicitor to Sinn Fein to demand official confirmation as to the existence of one. “I again welcome the fact that this matter is now with An Garda Siochana.”.
