Sinn Féin has 'fully' dealt with Brian Stanley issue, says Mary Lou McDonald

The party's draft report had made a finding of 'gross misconduct' against Mr Stanley determining that his conduct constituted 'sexual harassment'

Mary Lou McDonald (left) said that the party had little more it could do in relation to Brian Stanley (right). File photo

Sinn Féin has no further action to take in relation to Brian Stanley, party leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.

The Laois TD resigned from the party earlier this month, calling an investigation into his conduct a "kangaroo court" and ending with the party handing a draft report into allegations against Mr Stanley to gardaí.

The draft report had made a finding of "gross misconduct" against the former chairman of the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee determining that his conduct constituted "sexual harassment", stemming from a complaint made by a woman in relation to a meeting with Mr Stanley in Dublin in October 2023. 

After the meeting and having had drinks in a pub near Leinster House, the woman who lived outside Dublin shared a hotel room with Mr Stanley, though the report notes that the sleeping arrangements are disputed and there was no allegation of physical contact or anything illegal.

In the days following, the woman sent a text message to Mr Stanley requesting €60,000 in six separate envelopes, in which case she would "not pursue things". 

It is understood that the draft report found that Mr Stanley's responses to the woman were not consistent with his version of events and that he did not dispute that something had happened, though Mr Stanley has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms McDonald said that the copy of the report that has been leaked to media is a draft report, but said that the party had little more it could do.

"That process wasn't completed because, of course, Deputy Stanley resigned. So we have dealt with it appropriately. We have dealt with it fully, and we took the decision, which I presume you now understand, to refer matters to An Garda Síochána."

She added that any decision on a criminal investigation would be down to whether either party in the report decided to make a criminal complaint.

Niall Ó Donnghaile

Separately, Ms McDonald said that a statement which praised former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile as he resigned from the Seanad should not have been sent. Mr O Donnaighle left the upper house last year having been suspended by Sinn Féin having been accused of sending inappropriate messages to a teenager.

"With the benefit of hindsight, of course, the statement shouldn't have been made, and I say that because it caused hurt to the young person," she said.