Brian Stanley (politician)

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]

Brian Stanley TD
Chair of the Public Accounts Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 July 2020
Preceded by	Seán Fleming
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office February 2020
In office February 2011 – February 2016
Constituency	Laois–Offaly
In office February 2016 – February 2020
Constituency	Laois
Personal details
Born	January 1958 (1958-01) (age 63)[1] Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Sinn Féin
Spouse(s)	Caroline Dwane Stanley
Children	2
Alma mater	Dublin Institute of Technology

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.

In July 2020, Stanley was appointed as the chair of the high profile Public Accounts Committee.[3] 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.[5][6] In response, Stanley offered apologies before deleting his Twitter account and asked for speaking time in Dáil Eireann to address the situation.[7] Another tweet made by Stanley about Leo Varadkar was criticized by Micheál Martin, saying the tweet had an "inference of homophobia."[8]