Michelle O'Neill faces questions over ex-press officer

Michelle O'Neill will face questions in the Northern Ireland Assembly regarding how Sinn Féin dealt with former press officer and now child sex offender Michael McMonagle.

The urgent question, submitted by the DUP MLA Diane Dodds, asks if confidence in her office as first minister has been diminished.

Michael McMonagle of Limewood Street in Londonderry is currently awaiting sentencing after admitting to a series of child sex offences.

He was employed by the the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in September 2022 after references given by former colleagues in Sinn Féin did not raise concerns about his suitability for employment.

O'Neill, who is Sinn Féin vice-president, has apologised for the hurt and distress caused by the press officers who provided the references and said she was she was "aghast and horrified".

Dodds' question asks the first minister given her "departmental responsibilities towards victim and survivors of childhood abuse and children in relation to how she and her party managed issues of child protection and safeguarding following the arrest of Mr Michael McMonagle have diminished confidence in her office".

O'Neill admitted over the weekend that "serious omissions" were made in earlier accounts provided by the party over references given for McMonagle from two press officers.

The speaker Edwin Poots said the house was responsible for holding ministers to account and "every member should be heard.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said last week's "disturbing developments" raised questions about McMonagle's access to Stormont's parliamentary buildings and whether the assembly's safeguarding policy had been compromised.

The Assembly Commission has been contacted for comment.

Both the DUP and SDLP have called for "full transparency" and demanded the first minister appear before MLAS to face questions.

SDLP leader Claire Hanna also called for a "clear chronology" of events from Sinn Féin.

And Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who is the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, called for Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald to speak in the dáil (upper house of the Irish parliament).

Speaking on Good Morning Ulster, she called for “straightforward acknowledgment” from the party, including a statement about what McDonald and "her officials and party leaders knew and when".

Poots said that the issues being raised by members was "concerning" and officials have been active in looking at issues in relation to the Assembly Commisison processes and procedures.

However, he added "members and parties ultimately have responsibility for the staff that they employ" and MLAs must comply to regulations including "issuing and returning of staff passes to the building and the "sharing of information with the Assembly commission when such serious situations arise".

Meanwhile the head of the BHF in Northern Ireland said charity workers were dismayed when senior party members appeared to question their due diligence in relation to the recruitment.

Fearghal McKinney told Good Morning Ulster it was important to correct the record as the charity has suffered reputational damage due to the fall out.

“This caused enormous distress and anxiety among our staff and unwavering supporters,” he added.

On Wednesday, O'Neill said there were lessons for a lot of people in terms of "due diligence for an employer when they take on an employee”.

Mr McKinney said O'Neill has since "expressed regret", privately, about the comments.

“It was quite clear when comments were made about due diligence that there was only one other organisation that employed him since he was employed by Sinn Féin, so clearly there was a reflection on us," he told BBC News NI.

“We need to have support from the public – close supporters, volunteers, staff,” he said, adding that “any damage caused to that at all” can “undermine the good work” of the charity.

“We’re content that we have done everything in our power in order of keeping all our supporters, all our staff and the wider public that’s connected with us safe.”

The work references were provided three months after McMonagle was dismissed from the party while under police investigation.

Sinn Féin said this happened without clearance from the party and described the press officers' actions as wrong and unacceptable.

Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley have resigned from their roles at the party.

When asked if the charity was aware of the reasons for McMonagle leaving Sinn Féin, Mr McKinney replied: “We knew nothing.”

Mr McKinney said he spoke to O’Neill on Saturday morning and that she offered “words of regret and apology about what has happened”.

He said in the phone call he outlined the hiring process McMonagle went through, as well as the “robust internal investigation” that he said took place after the charity learned of the charges.

“Michelle O’Neill agreed recent comments by her and party colleagues questioning the BHF’s due diligence process were unhelpful, and she expressed regret for the damage and upset this has caused to our dedicated staff and supporters," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

“I wish to reiterate that the BHF is confident we undertook all necessary statutory and moral duties required throughout this entire process.

“The tone of the phone call and the words of the phone call was sufficient for us to feel confident that, in fact, the situation and the record has been put absolutely straight."

Bernie McNally, chair of the Safeguarding Board in Northern Ireland, told The Nolan Show that the party “should have alerted the British Heart Foundation and the process for doing that is through the references".

"It’s the referee’s responsibility to tell the new organisation everything they know," she said.

Mr McKinney also said the BHF had been in contact with a Sinn Féin HR official for more than a year longer than the party had said. was the case.

O'Neill confirmed on Saturday that a human resources (HR) manager had been contacted by the charity in August 2023, but added the party's leadership had not been made aware of this. She described this as "a serious omission".

Previously, Sinn Féin minister Conor Murphy had told BBC News NI the party had only been aware of the references since 25 September 2024.

“On Wednesday 25 September 2024, Sinn Féin and I were informed that two press officers, who were former colleagues of Michael McMonagle, had provided employment references for him," O'Neill said in the statement.

"I am absolutely appalled and horrified that this occurred," she continued.

"These references were given without the knowledge or authorisation of the party.

"Under no circumstances would the party provide a reference, for work or otherwise, for Michael McMonagle."

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