Political open season on Sinn Féin after the resignation of Laois TD Brian Stanley

Political parties of all shades have doubled down on Sinn Féin in the wake of the crisis that has engulfed the party in following the resignation of Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley.

Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin questioned whether or not Sinn Féin should have referred allegations surrounding Dep Stanley to gardaí earlier.

"I note that it has now been referred to An Garda Síochána. Whether Sinn Féin's in a position to provide greater clarity around all of this is a matter for Sinn Féin. Perhaps they should.

He asked: "I don't know the full background to this, but the issue of an internal disciplinary hearing that subsequently gets referred to the gardaí does open up the question, should it have been referred to the Gardai in the first instance?"

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe questioned how the Sinn Féin leader did not know the nature of the complaint, adding that it posed "serious questions".

"How is it you can be in an environment in which you become aware of a complaint against a very senior member of your party, somebody who's chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, but you don't know what that complaint itself is.

"These are really serious questions that cut to the leadership approach of a party that is still aspiring to lead a Government."

Speaking at the opening of a new clinical trial unit at Dublin's Mater Hospital, Minister Donohoe said tomorrow will be an important day to "lay out the facts" of what happened in recent weeks in relation to complaints made about Mr Stanley.

The Fine Gael TD said Tuesday would be a very important day in the Dáil when Sinn Féin leader addressed TDs over other controversial issues.

"It provides a very important opportunity for full transparency to be brought to this issue and for the very serious questions at the heart of this to be answered.

"It is so important now in the time ahead that all the facts be laid out and that full transparency be afforded to what looks to be a very, very serious matter," she said.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said the matter is the latest in a series of issues that Sinn Féin will have to address.

"There are questions for the Sinn Féin party about its handling of the instances in the case we have seen," she said.

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said the Sinn Féin leader made a "serious mistake" in not making herself aware of the nature of the allegation.

Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Tóibín said that should not have been the case.

"Mary Lou has also stated that she purposefully did not make herself aware of what the nature of the allegation was, and I think that’s a serious mistake because ... ultimately the buck should stop with her.

"I've no problem that the senior qualified individuals are in charge of the process, but it is ultimately the responsibility of the leader to find out the nature and the seriousness of the allegations.

"Actually outsourcing oversight of those issues is not a good thing, is not a healthy thing and it does go back to that culture were even the leader of the political party within Sinn Féin again doesn’t have the same power or influence that they would have in another political party," Mr Tóibín.