Sinn Féin is facing increasing pressure to answer questions around references provided for a former employee who was under police investigation, and was subsequently convicted of child sex offences.
On Sunday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it was “deeply worrying” revelation that two former Sinn Féin press officers provided references for a former employee under investigation for a series of sexual offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
There have been claims that Sinn Féin was aware that the references were given for Michael McMonagle, a former press officer at the party, before he began working for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) after leaving the party.
“Somebody who actually carried out a sexual crime against a child was moved from a political party to a charity, and that move was facilitated by employer references provided by that party,” Mr Harris said.
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“There seems to be some sort of vow of omerta taken in terms of properly discussing this issue,” he said.
Last month, former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle (42) from Limewood Street, Derry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
On Saturday, it emerged that Sinn Féin had known a year ago that two of its press officers had provided references for Michael McMonagle for a job with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in 2022 after his contract with the party had been terminated.
The party moved last week to sack the two press officers, and indicated that September 25th was the first it knew of the references being provided.
But the charity said it told a senior official about the references in 2023.
“Deputy Mary Lou McDonald has commented on every and any issue over the last few days, except this one. I’m very conscious of the seriousness of it. It goes well above party politics or partisan politics. This is the most grave issue in terms of the protection of children. And I thought we had all come a long way in relation to this,” Mr Harris said.
“If this happened in any other political party or any other organisation, what do you think deputy Mary Lou McDonald would say? What do you think she’d say when she took to her feet in Dáil Éireann? What do you think she’d say when she stood in front of a microphone like this?
“She needs to apply that same level of accountability in response to herself that she would apply to anyone else. I call on her today to come out as a leader of this organisation and answer the questions that have legitimately been put to her in relation to child protection,” he said.
On Saturday, SDLP leader Claire Hanna joined a call by DUP leader Gavin Robinson for further clarity from Sinn Féin in relation to the issue.
On Saturday, Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O’Neill said a human resources manager had been contacted by the BHF in August 2023, but added the party’s leadership had not been made aware of this. She said this was “a serious omission” and apologised on behalf of the party for the provision of the references.
On Saturday, Mr Robinson said called for “full transparency” and said First Minister Ms O’Neill should make a statement in the Assembly and take questions.
On Sunday, Ms Hanna said there has not been a “clear chronology” from Sinn Féin.
“I think it’s fair to say that no organisation can be responsible for abusers within their midst, but what we can be responsible for is how we respond when that abuse comes to light and I don’t think that has happened in a satisfactory way,” she told BBC Northern Ireland’s Sunday Politics programme.
“We have not had any clear chronology from Sinn Féin about the things they knew and when they knew them, and crucially what they did to safeguard children, because we can’t lose sight that that is what this is about.
“It’s also important to say a reputable charity was impugned last week.
“I think it’s appropriate that they’ve had the time and the space to set out the steps that they took, which to me seem to be absolutely discharging their responsibilities.”
Ms O’Neill was questioned about the matter at a meeting of the Stormont executive committee last week.
Ms Hanna said she did not think “full questioning was even facilitated”.
“I don’t think all the questions were addressed and I think the floor of the Assembly, more and more, should be where we do business pertaining to parties, so I think that would be appropriate,” she added. – Additional reporting: PA
