The controversy over the resignation from Sinn Féin of Public Accounts Committee chair Brian Stanley has moved at lightning pace. Amid claims and counterclaims, what are the outstanding questions?
1. What was the complaint?
The specific complaint is still shrouded in mystery – as is a counter-complaint submitted in response. It is unlikely that any party will publicly divulge what they know given the pending Garda involvement; so much of the controversy is about who knew or did what, and when. Specifically, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said that for months she knew only of the existence of a complaint rather than the detail, preferring to let an inquiry into the matter run its course. But now she is facing criticism for not seeking to get a fuller briefing, which she said took place only on Saturday evening last, after Mr Stanley resigned, and the day before the whole matter was supposedly referred to gardaí.
2. What was referred to gardaí?
The initial complaint, in Sinn Féin and Mr Stanley’s telling, contained no allegation of criminal behaviour and the party has said it didn’t believe it needed to pass it on to the Garda. However, at some point, the Sinn Féin view on referring the matter to the Garda changed. Ms McDonald has said the party took the decision on Sunday out of an “abundance of caution”.
3. What ‘new information’ prompted Sinn Féin to change course?
Sinn Féin has said the initial complaint was supplemented by new information and a counter-allegation from Mr Stanley in recent weeks. Mr Stanley has said his lawyer made a submission on September 11th which he believes should have been referred to gardaí – but again, we don’t know what it contained or if this caused Sinn Féin to change its assessment on going to gardaí. From the outside, it looks like this is a key development, but if it is the case that new information gleaned during the process led Sinn Féin to change its view on what should go to the Garda, why did it act so late in the day?
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4. What was the timing of the complaint?
Sinn Féin initially said it received the complaint in late July. That chimes with Mr Stanley’s version – he says it was made on July 26th. On Monday morning, Ms McDonald told RTÉ it was not received until August 2nd. Sinn Féin’s said on Monday evening that the formal complaint was received in early August after an initial contact in late July.
Ms McDonald also said that she was told of the matter in “early August” but only the bare fact that there was a complaint and internal inquiry. This contradicted Mr Stanley, who says he personally told Ms McDonald about it on July 29th. On Monday evening, the party said there was an exchange between the pair on July 29th during which a potential complaint was discussed and Ms McDonald said procedures would have to be followed.
Sinn Féin's latest crisis is a disaster for the party at the worst possible time
The resignation from Sinn Féin of Laois TD Brian Stanley on Saturday, and the party's referral to the Gardaí of information it gathered during an internal inquiry into an unspecified allegation made against Stanley, has triggered a fresh crisis for Mary Lou McDonald.The Sinn Féin leader is now struggling on multiple fronts as the party faces demands for an explanation as to why the Gardaí were not involved at an earlier stage.McDonald must also be worried that this latest bad news story will combine with other crises of recent weeks to set in voters's minds an image of a party in disarray. With a general election looming, this latest distraction from Sinn Féin's favoured issues of housing and health has come at the worst possible time. Jack Horgan-Jones and Cormac McQuinn join Hugh to set out what we know about this fast-developing story and what it means for Sinn Féin.
5. What legal advice did Sinn Féin receive?
Ms McDonald has said the panel inquiring into the matter was comprised of three people – a barrister who is also a Sinn Féin member, and two rank-and-file members who are not party officials, but we do not know their identities. We also know that Sinn Féin at some point sought extra legal advice. Ms McDonald said this was during the inquiry and the party says it was after it concluded and the draft report was sent to participants on October 4th. But we do not know why this was sought, who provided it or what it fully said (although Mr Matt Carthy said it didn’t suggest something criminal had occurred).
6. Was there a ‘party clique’ against Brian Stanley?
The Laois-Offaly TD has made a series of accusations against the party. Doubling down on these in his second statement on Monday, he says that claims by Sinn Féin that his rights were protected are “totally incorrect”; that the complaint effectively stymied his chances of putting his name forward for election as it was submitted ten days before nominations closed for his seat; and that information about the complaint had been circulated by party members before he was even aware of what the complaint said. He said information about the complaint was deliberately kept from him. He has alleged a “certain party clique” has prosecuted a “character assassination” against him. Sinn Féin has not addressed these claims yet.
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