Election 2024Constituency Profile

Laois constituency profile: All eyes on Sinn Féin and their former party colleague Brian Stanley

Election 2024: Former Fine Gael minister for justice Charlie Flanagan has decided not to contest the election

Laois Constituency map
Election 2024: Sinn Féin has selected Portlaoise-based community activist Maria McCormack as its candidate in Laois
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Cormac McQuinn
Thu Nov 07 2024 - 12:08

Outgoing TDs: Charlie Flanagan (FG – retiring), Seán Fleming (FF), Brian Stanley (Ind), Barry Cowen (FF – now a MEP), Carol Nolan (Ind)

Who are the candidates running in Laois? Deputy Seán Fleming (FF), Deputy Brian Stanley (Ind), Cllr Willie Aird (FG), Cllr Aisling Moran (Ind), Maria McCormack (SF), Austin Stack (FF), Mary Hand (Aon), Rose Palmer (GP), Elaine Mullally (Ind), Ken Mooney (PBP-Sol)

Brian Stanley ran for Sinn Féin in 2020 and topped the poll with about twice as many first preferences as anyone else. He went on to have a high-profile role as the chairman of the Dáil’s powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC). However, his shock resignation from Sinn Féin in October throws the constituency wide open.

He quit the party over its handling of a complaint made by a woman against him over a meeting with Mr Stanley in Dublin on the night of October 11th, 2023.

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An internal Sinn Féin inquiry concluded in a draft report that the TD’s conduct on the night constituted “sexual harassment”.

Its internal inquiry into the complaint was preparing to make a finding against Mr Stanley of gross misconduct as a result when he resigned.

Mr Stanley has previously strenuously denied any wrongdoing in a statement released by his solicitor. He has also contested what was described in his statement as the “provisional findings” of the Sinn Féin inquiry.

Sinn Féin referred the allegations against Mr Stanley – and a counter allegation from him that the woman had demanded €60,000 to compensate her for what she claimed happened on the night – to the Garda.

Mr Stanley has said Sinn Féin’s internal inquiry “resembled a type of kangaroo court”.

Sinn Féin has insisted his rights “were protected throughout this process”.

Mr Stanley has confirmed he is contesting the upcoming election as an “Independent Republican TD”.

He has said locals have encouraged him to run, that it will be an “uphill battle” but he will “give it my best shot”.

Sinn Féin has selected Portlaoise-based community activist Maria McCormack as its candidate. She was unsuccessful in her bid to be elected to Laois County Council in June.

She got just 276 first preference votes in the Portlaoise local electoral area.

Sinn Féin will be hoping Ms McCormack can win many more votes across the county on this occasion but it will be a challenge to keep the party’s former seat in the constituency with Mr Stanley in the race.

Portlaoise and Portarlington are the big towns in the midlands constituency that is now a three-seater after it was hived off from the old five-seat Laois-Offally constituency in the 2023 boundary review. It is on the edge of Dublin’s commuter belt and, amid significant population growth, housing is a big issue as well as school places and access to special education.

The decision of former justice minister Charlie Flanagan not to contest the election has seen Fine Gael select veteran councillor Willie Aird as its candidate. He was first elected to the then Portlaoise Town Commission in 1979 before going on to take a seat on Laois County Council.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Seán Fleming, formerly a PAC chairman himself, seeking re-election for Fianna Fáil.

The party announced Austin Stack as a running mate on the day the election was called. Stack, a Portlaoise, native is a former assistant governor in the Irish Prison Service. His father, Portlaoise Chief Prison Officer Brian Stack, was shot by the IRA in 1983 and died in hospital the following year. A long-time staunch critic of Sinn Féin, Stack’s presence in the race will not help that party’s woes in the constituency.

Councillor Aisling Moran – who quit Fine Gael last year – is contesting the election as an independent. She secured re-election to the local authority in June with a respectable 1,142 first-preference votes.

Portarlington businesswoman Elaine Mullaly – a founding member of Independent Ireland before she left the party during the summer – is also running.

Rose Palmer, Offaly-based junior minister Pippa Hackett’s parliamentary assistant, is running for the Green Party, but with just under 300 votes in June’s Local Election it is difficult to see her making an impact.

Possible outcome: Fianna Fáil (1), Fine Gael (1), Independent (1)