Former Laois Sinn Féin councillor not backing Brian Stanley in Laois General Election bid

A former Sinn Féin stalwart who soldiered in the Republican movement for many years in Laois long before the party became a political force will not be looking for votes from his former colleague Brian Stanley at the General Election.

What will be of concern for Dep Stanley also is that Cllr Aidan Mullins is the incumbent local representative in Portarlington where Dep Stanley would have harvested votes at previous General Elections.

Cllr Mullins split from Sinn Féin in August after being suspended by the party over social media comments that led to complaints about him.

He was every present at Brian Stanley's side during the TD's three successful runs in 2011, 2016 and 2020. However, that won't be he case in 2024.

Dep Stanley has said he has won the support of former Sinn Féin members in Laois going into the General Election. There is none more well-known or popular with voters in the county than Cllr Mullins who is a poll-topping representative for the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.

It's understood that relations broke off between the two men after Cllr Mullins left Sinn Féin. The Leinster Express / Laois Live asked Cllr Mullins if he would be backing Dep Stanley at the General Election.

"He hasn't contacted me and I won't be canvassing for him," replied Cllr Mullins.

Like Dep Stanley, Cllr Mullins left the party arising from a disciplinary process. The circumstances could not have been more different.

Cllr Mullins, who had been a member of Sinn Fein since 1973, said he “had thought long and hard” about his decision but he believed Sinn Féin has lost its way and has become “out of touch” with the electorate.

He cited the party’s vote on the Hate Speech Bill and its stance on the rejected referendums on Family and Care showed “more evidence that they haven’t their finger on the pulse”. He also said Sinn Fein had gotten the local elections “totally wrong”.

Cllr Mullins said the party weren’t holding the government to account on issues such as immigration.

He claimed that when he had raised legitimate questions about the government’s handling of immigration he wasn’t supported and he was accused of being racist by a party member.

He is now an independent councillor on Laois County Council.