Sinn Féin’s decision to hold an internal inquiry into a complaint made against Brian Stanley before contacting Gardaí was ‘absolutely appropriate,’ Mary Lou McDonald has told Newstalk Breakfast.

Laois/Offaly TD Brian Stanley resigned from the party on Saturday claiming that he had been subjected to an internal inquiry he described as being a ‘kangaroo court’.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the disciplinary panel was set up to investigate a complaint made against Deputy Stanley by a “longstanding member of the party”.

She noted that further information was brought forward to the panel which resulted in a “counter-allegation being made”.

She described both allegations as ‘serious’ in nature and confirmed that Sinn Féin has now referred the matter to Gardaí.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Deputy McDonald said her former party colleague’s kangaroo court claims are “pure deflection”.

“I'm very surprised to hear the term kangaroo court used in terms of due process,” she said.

“The application fairly and evenly of party rules, which included, in Deputy Stanley's case, his decision, which he was entitled to, to have his solicitor and a barrister with him throughout the process.

“This is a fair process. It is invigilated for the party at arm’s length by a legal professional by a practising barrister.

“We stand over it absolutely and Mr Stanley's comments are pure deflection – pure deflection.”

'Absolutely appropriate'

She rejected criticism that her party should have referred the matter to Gardaí at an earlier stage, insisting that it was “absolutely appropriate” for the party to investigate first.

“The initial complaint came to the party at the end of July and the process, the disciplinary process, began in August,” she said.

“It was absolutely appropriate for the party to inquire into.

“Had it been a criminal matter at that stage, of course it would have gone directly to An Garda Síochána – we don't investigate criminal matters.

“That was not the case with the initial complaint.”

Internal inquiry

Deputy McDonald said a preliminary report was compiled by the inquiry team which was then sent to both party members, the party chair and the head of the party’s disciplinary process.

At that point, legal advice was sought and the party chair referred the matter to Gardaí “out of an abundance of caution”.

She said Deputy Stanley “pre-empted the process” by resigning is position on Saturday.

“Let me be clear, I'm not qualified to say - it's not my job to say - if these matters merit a criminal investigation,” said Deputy McDonald.

“But I am much more comfortable, much happier as the party leader, given that there is a serious complaint and a serious counter-allegation, that these matters are now in the hands of An Garda Síochána.

“They will adjudicate whether there is a need for an investigation and what that might look like.”

Statement

In a statement, on Monday afternoon, Deputy Stanley insisted that he had been the subject of “a character assassination” before he resigned the Sinn Féin whip.

He said Sinn Féin’s claim that his rights were protected during the internal party hearing is “totally incorrect”.

He also suggested the timing of the complaint against him was aimed at preventing him from running in the general election.

Deputy Stanley noted that Mary Lou McDonald had “stated correctly that the complaint made against me is not of a criminal nature”, adding that he welcomed the fact that the matter had been ‘belatedly’ referred to Gardaí.

He said he had been advocating for Garda involvement “for some time, including to a senior Sinn Féin official”.

The Laois/Offaly TD said he ‘stands over’ what he said when he resigned from the party - when he claimed he had been subjected to a ‘kangaroo court’ which lacked objectivity, was seriously flawed and was devoid of impartiality.

Sinn Féin

Deputy Stanley’s resignation came days after Kildare TD Patricia Ryan quit the party, claiming she felt “pushed” out by party leadership.

The party has also been dealing with the fallout from the Michael McMonagle work references scandal.

Over the weekend, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said the series of controversies show that Sinn Féin is a “party that is not fit for Government; that doesn't have the appropriate structures in place”.

Deputy McDonald insisted her party is “very fit for government and we have exactly the right structures and processes in place”.

She said the party is committed to applying fair procedures and standards to all members – and insisted she is “absolutely sure that we have done the right thing here”.

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