MARY LOU MCDONALD should outline before the Dáil “who knew what and when” about a former party employee working for a charity, despite being under investigation for sex offences, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.
Speaking to reporters in Wicklow today, Taoiseach said it was not a minor matter that can be “ducked and dived”, and called on McDonald to put all the facts on the table about the party’s knowledge surrounding former press officer Michael McMonagle.
Last month, McMonagle, 42, from Limewood Street, Derry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
McMonagle was first arrested in August 2021. Sinn Féin has said it suspended him as soon as it became aware of the police investigation.
However, he took up a position with the British Heart Foundation in September 2022. The charity has said it was not made aware that he was facing investigation.
Sinn Féin is facing questions about why it did not inform the charity that its former employee was under investigation when applying for the job.
Last Saturday, two Sinn Féin press officers resigned after it emerged they had given references for McMonagle for the charity job.
“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,” 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. A person convicted of crimes against children, sexual crimes against children, found themselves working in a charity with children. That’s extremely concerning,” he said.
Earlier this week, party vice president Michelle O’Neill and Conor Murphy said it was not the responsibility of the party to inform the British Heart Foundation that McMonagle was under investigation.
However, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher disputed this claim, saying that he could not see how it would have harmed the police investigation.
“We need to know who knew what, when and where,” Harris said today.
“We need to know why references recommending this man for that job were given. I presume, because I haven’t seen the references, but people presumably only give positive references.
“It would be very helpful if those references were published so we can actually get to the bottom of this, but it’s actually hard to get your head around it. This is not a minor matter. This is not a small issue, and it’s not something that can just be ducked and dived. This is about child abuse,” said the Taoiseach.
“It’s about child protection, and I don’t think what we’ve heard to date about I didn’t know this, or I didn’t see that is credible.
“The leader the opposition is a decent person, and I think she should do the right thing here, as the president of that organisation, as the head of it right across the island of Ireland, she should come out, put all the facts on the table and clarify these most urgent and pressing matters.”
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister of State with responsibility for EU Affairs and Defence, issued a letter to McDonald, calling on her to “tell the truth” about her knowledge.
“Your silence is deafening on the issue of two senior members of your staff giving a reference to a child sex offender from your staff,” the Fine Gael TD said.
“As you know, those references allowed this man, who has pleaded guilty to coercing children into sexual activity, to go on to work with children in a charity.
“It is deeply troubling and made worse by the chief constable of the PSNI contradicting Sinn Fein’s version of events yesterday.
“I would encourage you to tell the truth about what you knew and when? You could make a statement to the Dail and answer questions on the matter.”
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