A Sinn Féin member of the Northern Ireland Assembly has become the fourth member of the party to resign after revelations that three party offices incorrectly received payments from a Covid-19 grant scheme.
The offices each received grants of £10,000 which they were not entitled to.
The others were the Chair of the Upper Bann Comhairle Ceantair and a party official in Co Tyrone.
This afternoon, party leader Mary Lou McDonald said she has also accepted the resignation of Catherine Kelly as MLA for West Tyrone.
The three offices were each automatically paid £10,000 in early April, but the money was not repaid until early this week after the issue was highlighted by BBC Northern Ireland.
"Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a small business grant of £10,000 was lodged in error," Ms McDonald said.
"The grant was unsolicited and has been repaid in full. The failure to return the grant immediately is unacceptable.
"Catherine fully accepts that she did not discharge 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 apologise for the clear failure to immediately reimburse 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," she added.
"I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and therefore I have tendered my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect.
"I apologise unreservedly to the party, to those who vote for us and the wider public."
