Sinn Féin censure TD and suspend councillor in Dublin

Sinn Féin has been rocked by another bitter internal party row, which has seen a leading TD censured and a councillor suspended.

A long-standing dispute between Dublin North-West TD Dessie Ellis and Ballymun councillor Noeleen Reilly has required an intervention from party bosses.

Ms Reilly claims she sought an intervention from Mary Lou McDonald and Gerry Adams, suggesting she was requested to “stay quiet to protect the party”.

She has been suspended, the party said, for a period of six months on foot of a complaint from another councillor. Ms Reilly took to social media to vent her fury, saying she repeatedly sought assistance from party bosses but it was not coming.

Mr Ellis has said that he accepted a censure from his party over comments he made about Ms Reilly.

“I accept the decision of the ard chomhairle, and I apologise for the comments I made in the media about Cllr Reilly,” said Mr Ellis. “I now want to move on to represent the people of Dublin North-West and to build the party locally.”

When contacted by the Irish Examiner yesterday, he said he had no further comment. In a statement, the party said:

“Following a complaint from a fellow councillor, Cllr Noeleen Reilly has been suspended from the party for six months. With regard to complaints by Councillor Noeleen Reilly about comments in the media by Dessie Ellis, TD, he will be censured by the party. As per our party constitution, the people concerned can appeal these recommendations.”

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, a party spokesman said any matters which cannot be dealt with under party procedures should be referred to gardaí and parties involved have been advised as such.

Sinn Féin has struggled to deal with a series of internal disputes in recent months amid allegations of bullying within the party.

Ms McDonald has previously insisted such cases are “localised incidents” and the party has repeatedly denied there is a culture of bullying in the organisation.

She is set to replace Gerry Adams as Sinn Féin president at a special ard fheis next Saturday.

Meanwhile, police have been notified of alleged criminal damage after Sinn Féin’s policing spokesman in the North was filmed apparently using bolt cutters to remove a clamp from his car.

Gerry Kelly removed the device after finding his vehicle had been immobilised while he was at a gym in Belfast city centre on Friday morning, the party said.