Sinn Féin has questions to answer over McMonagle - Long

Sinn Féin still has questions to answer over the handling of the case of convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle, Stormont's Justice Minister Naomi Long has said, adding that the party should reflect on whether it had acted appropriately.

McMonagle, 42, from Limewood Street in Derry, is a former senior Sinn Féin press officer and is awaiting sentence having pleaded guilty last month to a series of child sex offences.

He was suspended from the party in 2022 when it was discovered he was under police investigation.

Three months later he secured employment references from two party colleagues and got a new job with a leading heart charity - the British Heart Foundation.

The charity later confirmed that neither reference had mentioned his suspension from the party or the police investigation.

Sinn Féin said neither official had sought the party's permission to provide the references and described it as gross misconduct.

It began an internal disciplinary process but both officials - one a senior strategist - resigned at the weekend before it could be completed.

Sinn Féin's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill has also faced criticism after she attended an event in 2023 which McMonagle also was at in his new role with the charity.

She said she did not see him, even though they were pictured just metres apart.

Several other Sinn Féin figures were at the same event.

She has come under pressure to explain why either she, or someone else in the party, did not inform the British Heart Foundation about the situation regarding McMonagle.

The party had claimed that to pass the information on could have prejudiced the police investigation, but PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said yesterday that was not the case.

Ms O'Neill defended her actions saying she had exercised her responsibilities as an employer.

Answers not satisfactory - Robinson

Ms Long said Sinn Féin should involve in "self-reflection" and learn lessons.

"I do think that Sinn Féin have questions that they should be asking themselves and have questions that they have to answer in terms of, for example, why they didn't report to a new employer that the individual in question was under investigation.

"I think that's a significant question and they need to reflect on whether that was appropriate or not."

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the party needs to be clear about "who knew what and when".

Mr Harris said it was not a minor matter that can be "ducked and dived", and called on Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to put all the facts on the table.

"I'd be very clear on this, that this is a matter that should be above party politics. It should be above political back and forth," Mr Harris said.

"This is a matter about child protection.

"It's a matter about child abuse, and it's a matter about making sure we all hold our own organisations to the same standards that we hold other organisations to.

"Now, in the last number of days, we have seen deeply disturbing developments in relation to this situation."

He also called for the employment references to be published.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he finds it extraordinary that Sinn Féin did not inform the British Heart Foundation that a former press officer with the party was under police investigation for child sex abuse.

Mr Martin said the party needed to clarify the issue "much more than they have to date".

"It is basic protocol, particularly in terms of abuse against children, that any person in that situation, the organisation has a duty and an obligation to alert other organisations and make sure that no one is put in harm's way," he said.

Mr Martin said it seemed to him that Sinn Féin had been aware that Mr McMonagle had been working for the charity, but did not act or acknowledge that when it came to their attention.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Sinn Féin has not given satisfactory answers on the issue.

Mr Robinson accused the republican party of trying to "shut down" questions over the controversy.

He told the PA news agency that the public were not satisfied with the answers provided so far by Sinn Féin on the issue.

He said: "I think it is clear to see that from the outset they tried to shut the story down.

"I think over the last number of days you can see that there are new questions emerging and answers that really aren't satisfying people.

"When you consider safeguarding and the safety of children particularly, it is crucially important.

"So, where there still are questions to be answered, they should be answered fully and satisfactory."

Additional reporting PA and Paschal Sheehy