Brian Stanley to run as independent candidate in general election
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Former Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has confirmed that he will contest the next general election as an independent candidate.
In a statement issued to , Mr Stanley said that in recent weeks there had been a sustained attempt by a “micro group with their own agenda” to carry out a “character assassination” against him.
However, Mr Stanley said that he had been encouraged by “countless people” to put his name forward as an independent TD, while saying he planned to stand on a platform of “progressive republican policies.”
“I am prepared to stand on my record of work of over four decades of political activism and let the good people of Laois judge for themselves whether I should represent them in the 34th Dáil,” he said.
“To the best of my ability, I will use the experience gained over 12 years as a councillor and almost 14 years as a TD to represent the interests of the people of Laois in the Dáil. I pledge 100% commitment to serving their interests and to campaigning for a fairer society."
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He cited his priorities, saying that he wanted to see new schemes for affordable housing to purchase and rent, as well as social homes.
Mr Stanley added that he wanted to see “effective rent controls to stop runaway rents.”
The Laois TD added that further investment in Laois hospitals was a priority, alongside speeding up the Portarlington and Mountmellick flood relief schemes.
The move by Mr Stanley is likely to be a blow to Sinn Féin's hopes to retain a seat in the Laois constituency, with the party now only having one local councillor in the county, Caroline Dwane Stanley, Mr Stanley's wife.
Mr Stanley resigned from Sinn Féin earlier this month amid a bitter dispute over an internal party investigation into a complaint made against the Laois TD.
The Laois TD described the investigation into his conduct as a “kangaroo court,” with the party later handing the draft report to Gardaí over the allegations made against him.
The draft report itself had made a finding of “gross misconduct” against Mr Stanley, concluding that his actions constituted “sexual harassment” after the complaint was made by a woman following a meeting with the Laois TD in October 2023.
On Tuesday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said that her party had no further action to take in relation to the complaint made against Mr Stanley.