Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has challenged the Government on their child protection policies and said that “very senior members” of Coalition parties have written character references for “convicted rapists and child abusers”. She said “transparency goes both ways” before reiterating that what happened in her party was “unacceptable and reprehensible”.
Ms McDonald was speaking in the Dáil after Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton said it was “only right” that the Oireachtas business committee should meet to arrange a time for statements on child protection after character references were given to a former Sinn Féin press officer under investigation for child sex offences. Ms Naughton said the Sinn Féin leadership team had “continued involvement with this person” afterwards.
Ms McDonald said: “If the Government wants to schedule statements on the important issues of child protection and safeguarding, that’s in their gift.
“I want to be clear that, for our part, these unauthorised references that you have referred to were unacceptable. They were reprehensible. Action has been taken. The two individuals concerned have lost their jobs. They are now no longer members of Sinn Féin, and that’s as it should be.
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“We take these matters very, very seriously indeed, and I have taken swift action by way of response.”
She added: “In the course of our statements the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste the parties of Government will have to also make clear what sanctions they have adopted in cases where very senior members of your parties have written character references for convicted rapists and child abusers.
“I will be interested to hear what action you took, and I’m sure that you will, you will avail of that opportunity more broadly and in response to the Order of Business. So we’ll wait and see what the Government will do on that, because transparency goes both ways ladies and gentlemen.”
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said serious issues had arisen in relation to Sinn Féin’s handling of child abuse offences by an employee and time should be made available this week for statements on child protection issues “and the procedures within political parties for managing child protection issues.”
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee who took the Order of Business, said time could be found to discuss the issue and “to make sure that every party has an opportunity to set out their procedure to ensure that child safety is absolutely paramount whether it’s a political party or any other type of organisation”.
On Tuesday morning speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk Ms McDonald sought to lay the blame on the two men, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, who gave the references and to shortcomings in the party’s HR office.
“For the life of me I can’t explain to you how any rational person could consider giving him a reference,” she said. “They acted despicably.”
[ Sinn Féin’s handling of sexual abuse a recurring issue for the partyOpens in new window ]
She said that when Sinn Féin discovered about the references “the two individuals jumped before they were pushed”.
Their actions were “unforgivable”, she said.
She acknowledged the party’s HR department did not pass on queries about the references, citing “churn in staffing” and “an issue over maternity cover”.
“We dropped the ball,” she said. “Sinn Féin dropped the ball.”
She defended Northern First Minister Michelle O’Neill who said she had not noticed McMonagle when he attended an event in Stormont with a small number of people for the British Heart Foundation.
“She didn’t see him,” Ms McDonald said. “She has answered that question.”
She said to draw inferences about the culture of Sinn Féin from the events was “very unfair to people in the party”.
Meanwhile, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have ramped up pressure on Sinn Féin amid the controversy over two of its former senior party officials giving a reference to a party press officer under investigation for child sex abuse.
Junior ministers Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Anne Rabbitte wrote to Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl calling for Dáil statements on the matter.
Ms Carroll MacNeill said on Tuesday that there are “still very many unanswered questions from Sinn Féin in relation to their child protection processes”.
Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl replied to the Ministers declining their request. The matter is expected to be raised on the commencement of Dáil business.
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