Sinn Féin insisted yesterday its decision to temporarily freeze the expulsion of east Cork county councillor Kieran McCarthy over serious financial allegations, was not linked to the politician threatening to take legal action.

Cork East TD Sandra McLellan has broken her silence about an internal Sinn Féin row amid speculation that she threatened to leave the party if it did not take her side in the dispute.

A statement purporting to represent the members of Sinn Féin’s Cobh cumann claimed last night that 54 members had resigned in protest at the sanctioning of two party councillors in the region.

A Sinn Féin internal inquiry into the party’s Cobh branch has concluded a credit union €7,000 loan was secured without party permission and that large amounts of monies were withdrawn and not repaid.

A long-standing Fianna Fáil grassroots member who led its Cork same- sex marriage referendum campaign has resigned from the party after accusing TDs and Senators of failing to properly back the campaign.