'Huge support' - Laois Sinn Féin councillor and wife of Brian Stanley comments after controversy

Sinn Féin's only Laois public representative and wife of Brian Stanley has spoken for the first time since her husband resigned for Sinn Féin.

Speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live Caroline Dwane Stanley declined to comment on the issues that had give rise to her husband's resignation from Sinn Féin and the subsequent controversy that it caused. However, the Portlaoise Municipal District councillor said it has had an impact.

"It is a difficult time but we will get through it - we are getting huge support from many people in the community. The amount of people that have contacted us is phenomenal. At the end of the day, they are the people who put me in my job and I am very grateful to them for their support," she said.

She was asked about whether she would be remaining in the party. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley celebrates after her election to Laois County Council in 2024. Pic: Alf Harvey

"I'm not commenting on that at the moment I don't have any announcement to make. If I do it will be the local press that I will be contacting straight away," she said.

Sinn Féin is looking for a candidate to run to retain a TD for the party in the new Laois constituency where three seats will be up for grabs.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of Laois County Council on Monday, October 21, Cllr Dwane Stanley said she "definitely" would not be making a bid to win a Dáil seat.

Cllr Dwane Stanley has been a councillor since 2011 when she was co-opted onto Laois County Council after her husband was elected as a TD. She was elected to represent Portlaoise on Laois County Council at three subsequent local elections.

Her husband left Sinn Féin over an investigation carried out by the party into complaint made about him.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has told the Dáil that the woman who made the complaint was left 'traumatised' by what happened to her. For his part, Dep Stanley claims he has been the subject of 'character assassination' and a 'Kangaroo court'.

Sinn Féin has sent information surrounding the controversy to the gardaí.

Dep Stanley, who topped the poll at the 2020 General Election, says he will be making no further comment on the controversy in the Dáil or to the media.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley became the only Sinn Féin public representative in Laois after her husband's resignation. Cllr Aidan Mullins resigned in August over a disciplinary matter. 

Sinn Féin has so far declined to comment on Cllr Dwane Stanley's future in the party.

Apart from attending the latest Laois County Council meeting, Cllr Stanley also attended the most recent Portlaoise Municipal District meeting wich took place after her husband resigned from Sinn Féin.