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A Sinn Féin member of the Northern Ireland Assembly became the fourth party member to resign following revelations that three party offices incorrectly received payments from a Covid-19 grant scheme.
Each of the offices received grants of £ 10,000 to which they were not entitled.
Eilisha McCallion, a signatory to one of the accounts, was the highest-profile victim when she resigned as senator Thursday.
The others were the chairman of the Upper Bann Comhairle Ceantair and a party official in Co Tyrone.
This afternoon, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said she also accepted the resignation of Catherine Kelly as an MLA by West Tyrone.
Each of the three offices received an automatic payment of £ 10,000 in early April, but the money was not returned until earlier this week after the Northern Ireland BBC highlighted the issue.
“Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a £ 10,000 Small Business Grant was mistakenly deposited,” McDonald said.
“The grant was unsolicited and has been repaid in full. Failure to repay the grant immediately is unacceptable.
“Catherine fully accepts that she did not fulfill her duties as a public representative in this regard.”
Ms. McDonald added: “The party’s examination of this matter is now complete. As leader, I once again acknowledge and apologize for the clear lack of immediate refund of public money.”
In a statement, Ms Kelly said that, as a signatory to the account, she had a responsibility to ensure that it was operated to the highest standard.
“That did not happen in this case,” he added.
“I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and that is why I have submitted my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect.
“I unreservedly apologize to the party, to those who vote for us and to the general public.”
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