Just one name for Sinn Féin in Laois as Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley silent on future

Just on nominee will go before Laois Sinn Féin members at the party's delayed General Election convention in Portlaoise but it's not clear if the only SF elected politician in Laois will attend.

Sunday, November 3 was the deadline for aspiring General Election candidates to put their names forward to contest this year's poll for the party in Laois.

Laios SF branch Secretary confirmed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live that Maria McCormack was the only name submitted by the time the nominations deadline had passed.

Ms McCormack, who unsuccessfully contested the local elections in the Portlaoise area, is due to be ratified when members gather in Portlaoise on Monday night November 4 for the convention. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was scheduled to be the guest speaker at the event in a constituency that has been at the centre of a controversy that has engulfed Sinn Féin due to the resignation of Brian Stanley from SF.

Ms McCormack, who lives in Portlaoise, outlined her priorities for the campaign trail.

"There are serious issues in the county such as the lack of affordable housing, sky-high rents, lack of investment in our hospitals, local health centres, mental health services and the expansion of schools for both mainstream and special needs classes and only Sinn Féin can bring the change needed for Laois in this coming election," she said.

Ms McCormack's selection will not be the only reason the Convention will be watched closely. Ahead of the gathering the Laois Sinn Féin secretary looked forward to Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, wife of Dep Stanley, supporting their candidate. 

"I am happy that Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley appears to have remained loyal to Sinn Féin and fully anticipate that, as our Sinn Féin councillor in Laois, Caroline will be supporting and endorsing our General Election candidate alongside Cllr Aidan Mullins," he said.

Cllr Dwane Stanley sat beside her husband at a Laois County Council Civic Reception for Laois man and IFA President, Francie Gorman on Thursday, November 31. The event occurred after Ms McCormack announced she would seek the Sinn Féin nomination and followed Brian Stanley's declaration that he would run.

The Leinster Express Laois Live asked Cllr Dwane Stanley for comment on Sinn Féin's statement on her future.

"I have no comment to make about that statement," she said.

Dep Stanley won the seat for Sinn Féin at the 2011 General Election and topped the poll in the 2020 in Laois Offaly. There will be three seats in the new Laois General Election constituency.