Mairéad Farrell to replace Brian Stanley as Public Accounts Committee chair

SINN FÉIN TD Mairéad Farrell has been named as the new chair of the Public Accounts Committee following Brian Stanley’s resignation from the party.

Farrell, a TD for the Galway West constituency, was previously Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for public expenditure. 

She is replacing former chair Brian Stanley, who left Sinn Féin earlier this month amid an internal inquiry into a complaint made against him. 

Stanley announced he was stepping away from the party due to what he called a “seriously flawed” internal procedure.

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A complaint was made against Stanley during the summer that initiated the party’s inquiry, during the course of which a counter-allegation was made.

The roles of heads of Oireachtas committees are distributed among political parties in the Oireachtas, meaning a Sinn Féin successor was the most likely outcome – but some Government TDs had pushed back against that prospect.

Procedures in the Dáil this afternoon to formally remove Stanley and allow for the replacement, however, passed without event.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has congratulated Farrell her appointment, highlighting that Farrell will be the first woman to head up the committee and its youngest ever chair.

“Mairéad brings huge experience to the role and will represent the public interest in ensuring taxpayers money is spent properly and there is accountability when public money is wasted or spent incorrectly,” McDonald said.

“She has a Masters in Finance and a Degree in Economics and worked in finance, all of which will further assist her in fulfilling the role. She has previously served as Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Public Expenditure and now works as our party’s spokesperson for Further and Higher Education,” she said, adding: “Mairéad will be steadfast and meticulous in upholding the public interest and protecting the public purse.”

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