The former Sinn Féin TD resigned from the party in recent weeks and his announcement to run as an independent will cause a headache for the party, who has only one elected representative in the area – Mr Stanley’s wife, Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley.
However, she is not expected to run for the party in the general election.
Mr Stanley said in a statement to Laois media that he had been encouraged by “countless people” to run as an Independent.
He said people who had resigned from Sinn Féin would help him campaign.
“Having been out around the county over the past three weeks, I have been encouraged by countless people, from various backgrounds, to put my name forward as an Independent and who have pledged their support,” he said.
“I have also received commitments of assistance with campaigning from people in all areas, including those who have resigned from Sinn Féin.”
Mr Stanley said that a small number of people had tried to damage his reputation.
“In the recent past, there has been a sustained attempt by a micro group, with their own agenda, to carry out a campaign of character assassination against me.
“I am prepared to stand on my record of work of over four decades of political activism and let the good people of Laois judge for themselves whether I should represent them in the 34th Dáil.
“I will be standing on a platform of progressive republican policies and if elected will be working to, improve public services, protect workers and families and address the housing crisis.
“To the best of my ability, I will use the experience gained over 12 years as a councillor and almost 14 years as a TD, to represent the interests of the people of Laois in the Dáil. I pledge 100pc commitment to serving their interests and to campaigning for a fairer society.
“My priorities for Laois will continue to include: New schemes of affordable homes to purchase and rent, along with social housing. Effective rent controls to stop runaway rents in the private rental market.”
Mr Stanley resigned from Sinn Féin earlier this month after a complaint was made against him by a female constituent.
Today’s News in 90 seconds – 31st October 2024
He accused the party of holding a “kangaroo court” while investigating the complaint, a claim strongly rejected by the party.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald insisted the internal inquiry was a “fair process” and that the party stood over the process “absolutely”. Sinn Féin appointed a three-person inquiry panel overseen by a barrister to investigate the complaint against Mr Stanley.
An internal disciplinary inquiry made a draft finding of sexual harassment that amounted to gross misconduct against the long-standing TD.
Three days after Mr Stanley’s resignation, Ms McDonald described the woman’s complaint against the TD as “very serious” and said it “relates to Deputy Stanley’s personal behaviour, leaving the complainant, in her words, ‘traumatised and distressed’”.
However, the TD has rejected the claim and made his own counter-allegation. Both of these were referred by Sinn Féin to the gardaí in a scandal that rocked the party.
In recent weeks following his resignation, Sinn Féin signage has been removed from the TD’s constituency office.
