Sinn Féin has expelled a female party member after Gardaí raided her home and arrested her partner as part of an investigation into far-right extremism. The party said it was informed of the raid on Friday night and acted swiftly once the seriousness of the situation became clear.
National chairman Declan Kearney said the woman was removed from the party on Saturday evening because she failed to notify Sinn Féin about the raid or her partner’s arrest. He stressed that the party “will not allow” any association with far-right elements and has been targeted by far-right groups in recent years.
Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy said the woman had been a member for less than a year and that her partner was not involved with the party. He added that party leadership convened immediately after learning of the raid and decided on expulsion due to her lack of disclosure.
The information reached Sinn Féin’s head office through another member in Co Laois, and the party has stated it does not believe any other members are linked to the case. Gardaí continue to investigate the far-right activity linked to the arrests.
Two men, Karolis Peckauskas and Garrett Pollock, have already appeared in court on explosives-related charges, including possession of hydrogen peroxide and components for pipe bombs and incendiary devices. A third man in his 30s was arrested in Co Laois on Wednesday as part of the ongoing cross-border terrorism investigation.