Laois TD Brian Stanley 'lashing out' says Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty but other parties round on party

Brian Stanley & Pearse Doherty at the Sinn Féin Fair Recovery launch in Portarlington.

placeholder image — Brian Stanley & Pearse Doherty at the Sinn Féin Fair Recovery launch in Portarlington.

Laois TD's top job in Dáil also being fought over

Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley is in a "difficult spot and is lashing out" according to Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty.

Speaking on RTÉ he also encouraged the embattled Laois TD to come forward and be transparent about the controversy.

"I understand that Brian is obviously in a difficult spot. He is lashing out. We have not put the details of his complaint into the public record. It would not be appropriate. But it is for Brian to come forward and to be transparent, if he so wishes.

"But that's an issue for himself, that he now needs to question whether he wants to make it clear as to what the inquiry was, why he responded when he got the preliminary report from the party in the way that he did," said Dep Doherty. More below picture.

The Laios TD's role on the Public Accounts Committee is also under scrutiny. RTÉ has reported that Eoin O'Malley, Associate Professor in Political Science at DCUm, says Dep Stanley will remain as chair of PAC unless he chooses to step down. He is also reported as saying that Eoin O'Malley said the members of PAC do not have any say over who will chair the committee.

They can choose not to work with somebody, but that would mean the work of PAC would end up "grinding to a halt," he said.

It is a rule that a member of the main opposition party chairs the PAC, he added.

However, Labour Leader Ivana Bacik says the party will not cooperate with another Sinn Féin nominee for chair of the PAC because they do not know what they are getting with a Sinn Féin nominee.