Sinn Féin respond to Laois councillor's resignation from party

Sinn Féin has said Laois County Councillor Caroline Dwane Stanley's decision to resign from the party "was not unexpected".

Asked to respond to the Portlaoise councillor's announcement on Friday that she was leaving the party after 27 years, a Sinn Féin spokesperson told the Leinster Express/Laois Live: “Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley this evening tendered her resignation from the party. This decision was not unexpected.”

Cllr Dwane Stanley said she had  given the decision careful consideration and reflection.

"During my 27 years of membership, I worked diligently to advance the objectives of the party. I met and worked with some great republicans on that journey and will always cherish those memories," said Cllr Dwane Stanley in a statement.

"I have given this careful consideration and reflection over the recent past and decided to resign my membership of Sinn Féin. 
"Given how the party leadership dealt with the controversy that arose in July and related matters since then including outright attacks on both me personally and my family by some local party members, I have come to the conclusion that Laois Sinn Féin is not a safe place to be. 

"I had hoped that the party at leadership level would have made the effort to engage with me directly and give some support and assistance to me to try and deal with these matters. However, no contact has been made by the leadership with me over the past 5 months. 

"While the party has always prided itself on the values of equality and in particular supports for women in politics, in my case this has proven to be a fallacy.

"With this in mind I have decided that the time is right for me to draw a line on 2024 and resign, look to the future and embrace what I hope will be a better political future in the time ahead. I will continue in my role as an independent republican councillor providing vigorous and effective representation for the Portlaoise/Abbeyleix Municipal District.”