Brian Stanley (politician) explained

Honorific-Suffix:TD
Office:Chair of the Public Accounts Committee
Term Start:15 July 2020
Predecessor:Seán Fleming
Office1:Teachta Dála
Term Start1:February 2020
Term Start2:February 2011
Term End2:February 2016
Constituency2:Laois–Offaly
Term Start3:February 2016
Term End3:February 2020
Constituency3:Laois
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
Nationality:Irish
Party:Sinn Féin
Spouse:Caroline Dwane Stanley
Children:2
Alma Mater:Dublin Institute of Technology

Brian Stanley (born January 1958) is an Irish Sinn Féin politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois constituency. He was appointed Chair of the Public Accounts Committee in July 2020.[2] [3]

He unsuccessfully contested the 2002 and 2007 general elections in Laois-Offaly.[4]

Stanley was elected at the 1999 local elections as a member of Portlaoise Town Council, and was re-elected in 2004, and in 2009.[4] He was elected as a member of Laois County Council for the Portlaoise local electoral area at the 2004 local elections, and was re-elected in 2009.[4] His wife, Caroline Dwane Stanley, is a member of Laois County Council.[5]

In July 2020, Stanley was appointed as the chair of the Public Accounts Committee. He is the first Sinn Féin TD to hold the office.

In December 2020, Stanley became embroiled in controversies over a number of tweets, originating with a tweet that referenced the Narrow Water Ambush by the IRA in 1979.[6] [7] In response, Stanley offered apologies before deleting his Twitter account and asked for speaking time in Dáil Eireann to address the situation.[8] Another tweet made by Stanley about Leo Varadkar was criticised by Micheál Martin, saying the tweet had an "inference of homophobia."[9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Collins, Stephen. Stephen Collins (journalist). Nealon's Guide to the 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad. 2011. Gill & Macmillan. Dublin. 9780717150595. 135.
  2. Web site: Brian Stanley. Oireachtas Members Database. 11 October 2011. 8 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181108184336/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09. live.
  3. Web site: Brian Stanley TD appointed Chair of the Public Accounts Committee - Mary Lou McDonald TD. 2020-07-26. www.sinnfein.ie. 26 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200726120949/https://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/57522. live.
  4. Web site: Brian Stanley. 1 March 2011. ElectionsIreland.org. 22 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171222075321/https://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4824. live.
  5. Web site: Portlaoise Municipal District – Laois County Council. 2021-02-12. en-GB. 3 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210303081954/https://laois.ie/about-the-council/councillors/portlaoise-municipal-district/. live.
  6. News: Manley . John . 30 November 2020 . Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley apologises over 'insensitive' tweet . 5 December 2020 . 30 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201130081840/https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2020/11/30/news/sinn-fe-in-td-brian-stanley-criticised-over-insensitive-tweet-2145461/ . live .
  7. Web site: Bray . Jennifer . Sinn Féin TD's social media accounts deleted in aftermath of controversy . Irish Times . Irish Times . 4 December 2020 . 1 . 3 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201203204644/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/sinn-f%C3%A9in-td-s-social-media-accounts-deleted-in-aftermath-of-controversy-1.4426553 . live .
  8. News: 4 December 2020 . Stanley seeks Dáil time to make personal statement . . 5 December 2020 . 4 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201204175405/http://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2020/1204/1182305-brian-stanley-tweet/ . live .
  9. News: McGee . Harry . Clarke . Vivienne . Sinn Féin's Brian Stanley asks to make statement to Dáil over tweets . The Irish Times . 10 December 2020 . 11 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201211174233/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/sinn-f%C3%A9in-s-brian-stanley-asks-to-make-statement-to-d%C3%A1il-over-tweets-1.4427388 . live .