Kildare TD Ryan to run as independent in general election

Kildare South TD Patricia Ryan has said that intends to run as an independent candidate in the next general election after she resigned from Sinn Féin.

In an interview with Kildare FM she said she will serve out the remainder of her Dáil term as an independent.

Ms Ryan said she has been unhappy for around 18 months and has been asking Sinn Féin to deal with issues, but said they were left to "fester".

She said she had issues about being curtailed in what she would put up on Facebook, and with members being asked about questions for the leader in advance of meetings.

She also said members had also raised recent referendums with the party and said their approach was not the right way to go, "but nobody listened to us as members".

In a statement, Sinn Féin said it is aware that there were issues in the constituency but said no formal complaints were made.

It said attempts to resolve the issues through mediation and discussion were not successful and that it did not believe there was any vetting of questions.

It continued: "Sinn Féin is a democratic party and every TD has to go before convention to be selected for an upcoming election. Patricia chose not to do this.

"We can confirm that three Cumann members have resigned".