Brian Stanley controversy relates to 'sexual harassment' claim over ...

26 Oct 2024

Offaly Express

Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley was facing a finding of gross misconduct on grounds of sexual harassment as the outcome of a Sinn Féin internal inquiry, according to new revelations in the controversy which saw him resigning from the party.

Brian stanley - Figure 1 — Photo Offaly Express

The Irish Times has reported that an internal Sinn Féin inquiry into a complaint against the now independent-Republican TD was preparing to make the finding just as he resigned from the party.

The Irish Times has claimed to have seen an internal party draft inquiry report and spoken to a woman who made the complaint against Dep Stanley arising from an alleged encounter between the two in October 2023.

It's reported on the front page of the Irish Times on Saturday, October 26, that both sides were told that the inquiry would find that she had told the truth while some of his evidence was “not credible”.

The parties were given a week to respond but the Irish Times reports that Dep Stanley resigned from the party after five days claiming he had been subjected to a “kangaroo court”.

It is reported that the inquiry centres on an incident at a Dublin hotel on Wednesday, October 11 after the woman met Dep Stanley. She was a former employee of Sinn Féin and was seeking advice on getting a job in the EU. They ate in Leinster House and had drinks in a pub. The Irish Independent reports that it's alleged the pair then shared a hotel room.

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It's reported that the woman said she was upset and traumatised after the incident, and texted the TD. The texts, which were evidence in the inquiry, contain a request from the woman that she be compensated €60,000 for what happened.

The Irish Times reports that the woman now says that the request for money was an “unwise, idiotic, and ill-judged decision while in a state of shock and powerlessness”.

Brian Stanley and his former party leader Mary McDonald on a visit to Portlaoise before he left Sinn Fein.

The woman told the paper that she never pursued the request and instead spoke to a helpline and to people close to her because of the emotional toll.

The woman is critical of the party’s handling of the process and claimed Gardaí did not have the full party dossier on her case nor the party’s draft inquiry report that found against Mr Stanley. Sinn Féin said in a previous statement: "Following the completion of the preliminary stage of the inquiry and report, and having taken further legal advice the party has referred both the complaint and counter allegation to the Gardaí."

The woman told the Irish Times: “This is not about politics. This is about justice, safety, and working to ensure that no other woman goes through a similar experience. I am speaking out to protect others, to bring what happened to light, and to seek accountability where it is due.”

His evidence to the inquiry is also outlined. He disputed the woman's account claiming that she was conspiring against him as part of an organised effort to have him removed.

The Irish Times reports that Mr Stanley’s solicitor repeated his “strenuous denial of any wrongdoing”. The report “is, in fact, a draft report, not a final report”, and Mr Stanley contests the “provisional findings”, the statement said.

His statement via his solicitor to The Irish Times, said that “the complaint was wilfully withheld for a period of almost 10 months in an effort to spancel our client’s potential political candidacy”.

In his statement, Dep Stanley’s solicitor said: “It has been a source of extreme distress to our client and his family (whose ongoing support is greatly valued by him), that his lifelong service to Sinn Féin and the people of Laois (and Offaly) has been demeaned in this way at this stage of his political career.”

The solicitor said the complaint against the TD was “solely and exclusively politically motivated”, before the general election and candidate selection. It's claimed that the Sinn Féin disciplinary process was “demonstrably abused throughout”

Dep Stanley has yet to declare if he will run in the General Election in the new Laois constituency.

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