Departing Sinn Féin councillor says there is 'no real democracy' in the party

Then Sinn Féin councillor Danielle Twomey at a Cork County Council event in 2019. Having left SF, Ms Twomey remains on as an Independent councillor. She does not plan to run in the next local elections. Picture: David Keane

A departing Sinn Féin councillor has said there was “no way she could stay in the party” as there is “no real democracy” in the organisation.

Danielle Twomey, from Midleton in Cork, announced on Monday night that she was leaving the party after revealing in October that she would not contest the next election.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Ms Twomey said “this has been coming for a long time”.

The undercurrent in the party has been toxic. It’s something we’ve been trying to flag. 

"Structures are implemented but not adhered to. There’s no real democracy in the party.”

Danielle Twomey said she stayed in the party for so long because she felt she owed her friends and fellow members, but said party staff were not supportive of her.

"I've had relationships with people who've become friends. The people of the party are fantastic — the issue is the party staff, the people who manage things.

“What led me to leave was that members were being abusive and causing others to leave meetings in tears.

“Management were told this and we were told that it was ‘a conflict of personalities’.”

The Midleton-based councillor — who has been Sinn Féin's sole representative on Cork County Council — said that, when she announced her departure from politics, she did not hear from the party for three weeks.