Marc MacSharry hits out at Taoiseach as he resigns from Fianna Fail

Marc MacSharry has resigned from Fianna Fáil over the handling of a bullying complaint against him made by a party councillor.

Mr MacSharry also accused the Taoiseach Micheal Martin of failing to properly investigate the complaint.

In a statement issued on Wednesday morning, the Sligo-Leitrim TD said he will continue to work as an independent TD.

The complaint at the centre of the controversy was made by Fianna Fáil councillor Donal Gilroy over comments made by Mr MacSharry in a private WhatsApp group for Sligo councillors earlier this year.

Mr MacSharry was due to return to the party last month, but it was delayed following Mr Gilroy’s complaint.

In a statement, Mr MacSharry said the complaint centred on a political issue.

“This recent complaint related to exchanges between us over several months on services I have secured for Sligo University Hospital and their significance,” he added.

“It was a robust issue and robust language was used. Instead of arranging an investigation of this local political dispute, the Taoiseach used the complaint for political gain at national level to delay and prevent my readmission to the parliamentary party.

“He knows that I am critical of his performance as Taoiseach and his support within the parliamentary party is wafer thin.

“My readmission would have been a problem for him, so he has used this complaint for his own purposes.

“The informal investigation promoted by the Taoiseach is a non-starter as the confidentiality required has been broken by the public statements of the Taoiseach and the chief whip.

“The Taoiseach has tried to brush this under the carpet with claims that I have not engaged. This is despite numerous correspondence from I to him, the chief whip and party officials on the matter setting out my position clearly.

“I wish to put on the record the text of the complaint made against me by Donal Gilroy to show the highly politically motivated nature of it and its unquestionably suspicious timing on the eve of the Fianna Fall parliamentary party meeting for my readmission.

“It is an unwarranted attack on the contribution of me and my family to political life with over 40 years service in the Oireachtas.”

Fianna Fail has been contacted for comment.