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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Suspended Sinn Féin member a former senator and mayor | Suspended Sinn Féin member a former senator and mayor |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Niall Ó Donnghaile was a member of the Irish Senate and a former lord mayor of Belfast | Niall Ó Donnghaile was a member of the Irish Senate and a former lord mayor of Belfast |
| Sinn Féin's president has defended the party's decision not to reveal that Niall Ó Donnghaile had been suspended for sending inappropriate texts to a teenager when he stepped down last year. | |
| Mr Ó Donnghaile, a former Sinn Féin senator and Belfast lord mayor, confirmed he sent the messages. | |
| Mary Lou McDonald said following a referral by Sinn Féin to the PSNI, there were no findings of illegality and no criminal charges were pursued. | |
| She has come under pressure over the party's handing of recent child safeguarding issues. | |
| The Sinn Féin president also said that some may ask why the party did not inform the Oireachtas (houses of parliament) of the investigation after he stepped down from the Seanad (senate). | |
| During a debate on Tuesday, McDonald said he had previously been on leave due to "serious mental health issues". | |
| "We were advised at the time he stepped down he was suffering from a mental health crisis after the complaint and was deemed medically unfit for work," McDonald said. | |
| "We were worried publicly naming him would be dangerous to his health and we had very serious concerns for his health and safety - I still hold some to this day." | |
| Mr Ó Donnghaile confirmed in a statement to the Irish News, external that he sent an inappropriate text to a youth member of the party. | |
| He said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was notified but no formal complaint was received. | |
| McDonald said the party was informed that an adult had also received inappropriate texts and was advised of their right to make a complaint but they did not. | |
| She said Mr Ó Donnghaile's actions were not acceptable and he had been held accountable. | |
| BBC News NI has contacted him for comment. | BBC News NI has contacted him for comment. |
| Mary Lou McDonald will make a statement in the Dáil later | Mary Lou McDonald will make a statement in the Dáil later |
| It is understood that the text messages were sent by Mr Ó Donnghaile to a 17-year-old boy in Northern Ireland. | |
| The message is believed to have been personal in nature but not sexually explicit. | The message is believed to have been personal in nature but not sexually explicit. |
| The party said when it got the complaint in September 2023, it followed its child protection policy, suspended the person who sent the message, and referred them to police and the social services. | The party said when it got the complaint in September 2023, it followed its child protection policy, suspended the person who sent the message, and referred them to police and the social services. |
| Sinn Féin said the PSNI told it the same month that it was not carrying out an investigation. | Sinn Féin said the PSNI told it the same month that it was not carrying out an investigation. |
| Mr Ó Donnghaile later resigned from the party. | Mr Ó Donnghaile later resigned from the party. |
| On Monday, McDonald said there was no investigation and no charge. | On Monday, McDonald said there was no investigation and no charge. |
| In his statement to the Irish News, Mr Ó Donnghaile said he accepted his behaviour warranted stepping down from his role in the Seanad and as a party member. | In his statement to the Irish News, Mr Ó Donnghaile said he accepted his behaviour warranted stepping down from his role in the Seanad and as a party member. |
| He said it would give him "the space to focus on improving" his health and well-being. | He said it would give him "the space to focus on improving" his health and well-being. |
| He said these are issues he has been dealing with his doctor on since mid-2021. | He said these are issues he has been dealing with his doctor on since mid-2021. |
| Resignation | Resignation |
| In December 2023, Sinn Féin announced that Mr Ó Donnghaile had resigned from the Seanad for health reasons. | In December 2023, Sinn Féin announced that Mr Ó Donnghaile had resigned from the Seanad for health reasons. |
| In a statement at the time, he said he had been unable to attend the Seanad since the summer recess "on the advice of my doctor". | In a statement at the time, he said he had been unable to attend the Seanad since the summer recess "on the advice of my doctor". |
| McDonald also issued a statement at the time wishing Mr Ó Donnghaile well and thanking him for his service to the party. | McDonald also issued a statement at the time wishing Mr Ó Donnghaile well and thanking him for his service to the party. |
| In a social media post reacting to the news on Tuesday, Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson said when Mr Ó Donnghaile stepped down, he did so for health reasons. | In a social media post reacting to the news on Tuesday, Democratic Unionist Party leader Gavin Robinson said when Mr Ó Donnghaile stepped down, he did so for health reasons. |
| "Mary Lou wished him well," he continued. "SF enabled a graceful departure. They knew the real reason. The contempt and apparent cover up continues." | "Mary Lou wished him well," he continued. "SF enabled a graceful departure. They knew the real reason. The contempt and apparent cover up continues." |
| Analysis | |
| As the saying goes, if you're explaining, you're losing. | |
| For Sinn Féin, the best part of the past three weeks - when this controversy first began - must have felt like that. | |
| Now it has taken a further turn with one of its former rising stars in Belfast embroiled in a different element of this, which has the potential for more political fallout. | |
| McDonald sought to lay out a full timeline of actions the party had taken after the first complaint was made against Mr Ó Donnghaile. | |
| And she insisted concerns for his mental health - and legal advice sought by the party - meant the party did not reveal what prompted his departure from politics last December, save for what were cited as health reasons. | |
| There was no criminality, but for its critics the political charge against Sinn Féin remains questions of transparency. | |
| On both sides of the border, political opponents are lining up to seek further explanations from the party. | |
| Michael McMonagle | Michael McMonagle |
| McMonagle is currently awaiting sentencing after admitting to a series of child sex offences | McMonagle is currently awaiting sentencing after admitting to a series of child sex offences |
| Time was set aside for all parties to discuss matters in the Dáil on Tuesday relating to Sinn Féin's handling of a separate case involving former press officer Michael McMonagle, who admitted child sex offences. | |
| The party faced criticism after it emerged that two Sinn Féin press officers gave references for their former colleague for a job with a charity. | The party faced criticism after it emerged that two Sinn Féin press officers gave references for their former colleague for a job with a charity. |
| In September, McMonagle admitted to a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. | In September, McMonagle admitted to a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. |
| He is due to be sentenced in the coming weeks. | He is due to be sentenced in the coming weeks. |
| Both press officers, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, have since resigned. | Both press officers, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, have since resigned. |
| On this, McDonald said she has instigated an overhaul of procedures in the party. | On this, McDonald said she has instigated an overhaul of procedures in the party. |
| Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, McDonald also reiterated that the move by two former press officers to provide Michael McMonagle with job references when he was under investigation for child sex offences was "reprehensible and unforgivable". | |
| She said Mag Uidhir and McGinley "knew their actions were sackable offences so they jumped before they were pushed". | |
| The Sinn Féin leader also apologised directly to the British Heart Foundation for "being dragged into this controversy". |