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22 Oct 2025

Laois TD Brian Stanley to share time with Green Party leader in Dáil

Former Sinn Féin representative in biggest Dáil technical group

Brian Stanley Sinn Féin Laois Offaly

Laios independent Brian Stanley is aligned with eight TDs for speaking time and other Dáil rights.

Ex-Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley is in the same political grouping as a Minister in the last Government having confirmed his membership of one of two Dáil Éireann technical groups opposing the Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, regional independent coalition.

Dep Stanley confirmed to the Leinster Express / Laois Live that he is one of eight TDs in the Independents and Smaller Parties Group. The technical group is made up of three People Before Profit–Solidarity, three independents,  one 100% Redress representative a the Green's sole representative in Leinster House.

The three PBP-Solidarity TDs are Richard Boyd Barrett, Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy. All are Dublin-based. Tipperary South independent Seamus Healy, Catherine Connolly, Galway West, are the two other independents. Charles Ward of the 100% Redress party represents Donegal and was elected on a mica platform.

The last member to join was Green Party leader and former minister Roderic O'Gorman. He joined the group after the new cabinet was appointed by Micheál Martin. Dep O'Gorm served as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth from 2020 to 2025 in the FF / FG / Green coalition.

He became leader of the Green Party in 2024 after defeating former Offaly minister Pippa Hackett in the election to succeed Eamon Ryan. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Laois TD Brian Stanley on his re-election to the Dáil as an independent TD. Pic: Alf Havey

Dep Stanley provisionally joined the group in December when the Dáil sat for the first time after the General Election. His membership was completed 

Technical groups are formed for technical reasons so that members enjoy certain rights or benefits that would otherwise remain unavailable to them outside a formally recognized parliamentary group.

The Laois TD was one of the highest profile TDs in the last Dáil as he was the Chairman of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee when he was a Sinn Féin TD. He was replaced as leader of this committee after he resigned from Sinn Féin over a disciplinary process that arose from an interaction he had with a female member of Sinn Féin.

Dep Stanley retained a seat in the Dáil as a TD for the new Laois constituency in the General Election despite the huge controversy that followed. 

The Technical Groups were at the centre of a major row in the Dáil which delayed the election of Michaél Martin as Taoiseach. The Regional Independent Group which has TDs in Government wanted to sit on the opposition side of the Chamber to guarantee them speaking rights. 

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