It has rumbled on for the guts of a month now.
Brian Stanley’s resignation from Sinn Féin, his description of a ‘Kangaroo Court’ inquiry, his case being referred to the Gardai by the party, Mary Lou McDonald saying that the complaint was ‘very serious’ and the complainant was “in her words ‘traumatised and distressed'”.
From there Stanley accused Mary Lou McDonald of abusing Dáil privilege with that statement; the preliminary Sinn Féin report into the complaint and counter complaint was then leaked – the woman at centre of the saga acknowledged that she had sought €60,000 in payment.
There has been no disputing the claim that they’d spent the night in a Dublin hotel and nothing criminal is alleged to have happened.
Then on Friday, at the turning of the sod for the new Garda station in Portlaoise, Brian Stanley said that Mary Lou McDonald had handled the issue appallingly.
On Monday night, at the launch of Maria McCormack as the new Sinn Féin candidate, Mary Lou McDonald was asked about Brian Stanley’s most recent comments.
“Brian is accountable for his actions and he can answer for this,” she said. “I think rather than pointing the finger at others, Brian should man up and take responsibility for his behaviour.
“This is the first official launch of the Sinn Féin campaign to re-elect a Sinn Féin TD,” she added.
“Our candidate is Maria McCormack and I have I have every confidence in her. I think as the campaign progresses and you get to know and observe this woman, you will understand why I feel this level of confidence in her.
“I am also excited at the idea that for the first time a woman will be elected in county Laois. I think, if I may suggest, that time is right and it’s right now.”
Asked about Caroline Dwane-Stanley’s position – she remains a member of Sinn Féin though wasn’t at the event on Monday.
“The entireity of Sinn Fein is backing Maria. We are going to fight a very energetic campaign. We are absolutely determined to re-elect a Sinn Fein TD and Brian can account for himself.
“Tonight is Maria’s night, tonight is the moment Sinn Fein officially kicks off our campaign here in Laois and we are very, very optimistic that that there is a strong mood for change right across this county and in Maria we have a formidable woman carrying our flag and we are really proud and delighted that she is stepping forward.”
