LAST UPDATE | 15 Oct
FORMER SINN FÉIN senator Niall Ó Donnghaile has revealed that he is the party member at the centre of a recent controversy.
Over the weekend, it emerged that a party member resigned from Sinn Féin after allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a 17-year-old.
Ó Donnghaile resigned from the Seanad, citing “health reasons”, in December 2023.
In his statement to The Irish News today Ó Donnghaile said that, in consultation with Sinn Féin, he accepted that his behaviour warranted stepping down from his Seanad role and as a party member.
“This would also give me the space to focus on improving my health and wellbeing, issues that I have been dealing with my doctor on since mid-2021.”
“I also accept that I have caused great embarrassment to myself, my family, friends and former colleagues – this was never my intention,” he said.
“Since resigning from political and public life almost a year ago and now as a private citizen, my main focus has been on improving my mental health and also supporting a relative through a challenging period of ill-health – this remains my priority and I ask that I and all those concerned are allowed to move on, with our privacy respected.”
Yesterday, when questioned on the case, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the matter came to the party’s attention, procedures were applied and the PSNI and social services were informed.
In a statement, a spokesman for the PSNI confirmed this weekend that the matter was referred to the police service in September 2023.
“Safeguarding assessments and engagement with other statutory bodies were conducted at that time. No formal complaint from any person was received,” the statement added.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald confirmed that Ó Donnghaile was the member suspended from the party. Speaking in the Dáil, she said:
“On September 11 2023 a party councilor received a complaint that an inappropriate message had been sent by Niall Ó Donnghaile to a 17-year-old male party member.
“The young man wanted this to stop and he wanted no further contact to be made to him by Niall Ó Donnghaile .
“On September 12, the chairperson of Belfast Sinn Fein was informed of the complaint, and so began the formal party procedure as part of the party’s inquiry.
“At the time, we were informed of a second individual receiving inappropriate text messages from Niall Ó Donnghaile. This person was an adult. He was advised of his right to make a formal complaint, but he chose not to.
“On September 13, in line with our child protection guidelines, given that the complainant was under the age of 18, Niall Ó Donnghaile was suspended from the party, and the issue was immediately referred to the PSNI and social services in the North to investigate.
“This was clearly not a matter for any political party to adjudicate on.”
McDonald said the PSNI informed Sinn Féin that the young person was “content” with the actions taken by the party in response to a complaint about former senator Niall O Donnghaile.
She said no formal investigation followed and added:
There was no finding of illegality and no criminal charges were pursued.
“However, Niall Ó Donnghaile ’s actions were not acceptable. This was made clear to Niall O Donnghaile at a meeting on October 5 [2023].”
She added: “Niall Ó Donnghaile stated that he would be resigning both from the Seanad and the party.”
McDonald said Sinn Fein’s actions were “firstly guided by concern for the young person at the centre of this incident” as well as accountability for Ó Donnghaile.
“He faced those consequences, ones that were proportionate to his unacceptable behaviour.”
The Sinn Féin leader said it was “fair” to question why the party did not inform the Oireachtas about the circumstances around Niall Ó Donnghaile ’s resignation.
She said the party was worried that publicly naming him would be “dangerous to his health”.
She added that Ó Donnghaile had a period of extended leave in summer 2021 due to “very serious mental health issues”.
“Following the complaint, we were advised that Niall Ó Donnghaile was again suffering from a mental health crisis and was deemed medically unfit for work by his doctor.
“We were very worried that publicly naming him would be dangerous to his health, and that is not to make an excuse for his behaviour, but we had very serious concerns for his mental health and his safety – and I still hold some of those concerns to this very day.
“Niall Ó Donnghaile publicly resigned on 21 December last, and on that occasion, I wished him and his family well.
“I acknowledged his work in the past, and above all, I wished him well in dealing with his very, very significant health challenges.”
She said the former senator was held to account “as a result of the procedures in our party” stating that the “safety of that young person has been the foremost concern” to the party.
In December 2023, health reasons were given as the reason for Ó Donnghaile departure from the party, with the senator in a statement, issued by the Sinn Féin press office at the time that he had been unable to attend the Seanad on the advice of his doctor.
“It is unlikely that this situation will change in the short-term. Therefore I feel the best decision for myself, my family and the party going forward is to resign from the Seanad and step back from public life,” he said in the statement at the time.
When the senator resigned back in 2023, McDonald commented on the resignation in a statement issued by the party press office, in which she said she wanted to wish Ó Donnghaile “the very best for the future as he announces his resignation from the Seanad”.
“Niall has served in the Seanad for almost eight years giving voice to northern nationalists in the Oireachtas.
“Niall served diligently during that period, and indeed prior during his time as a member of Belfast City Council and as Ardmhéara Beál Feirste.
“In particular, Niall made a valuable contribution to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
“I hope that Niall can overcome the health challenges that he has had to deal with over the past number of months, and I wish him and his family the very best for the future,” her statement concluded.
A number of opposition members questioned today why McDonald issued such a statement at the time given that she was aware of the circumstances at the time.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin released a statement on today’s revelations, slamming Sinn Féin over its handling of former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile and saying it raises “serious and fundamental questions” about the party.
Martin alleged that the party had “misled” the Oireachtas on the full reasons for Ó Donnghaile’s Seanad resignation – claiming it was an attempt at a “very elaborate cover up”.
“For the first time, Sinn Fein has revealed Ó Donnghaile was suspended from the party following “inappropriate” text messages to a teenager, which were referred to the PSNI,” the Fianna Fáil leader said.
“Yet when party leader Mary Lou McDonald paid tribute on the senator’s resignation last December, she spoke only of the health challenges he had faced.
“It appears the Oireachtas was misled on the full reasons for Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile’s resignation,” he said.
Social Democrat’s leader Holly Cairns had similar criticisms about the tribute the party leader made at the time of the former senator’s resignation, stating that she had to “highlight the glossing over of the glowing statement that she made about Senator Ó Donnghaile when he resigned”.
“Whatever about not publicly naming him in relation to allegations because of concerns around his mental health, her statement was utterly glowing. She wished him the best for the future said he had served diligently and made a valuable contribution to politics here and in the North.
“The reality was that senator was resigning in disgrace with a referral to the PSNI for inappropriately messaging a minor, and she knew about it. So I think we need to know what she has to say about her glowing statement,” said Cairns.
McDonald rounded off her statement to the Dáil, telling the government benches: “Your cynicism is matched only by your hypocrisy, which is truly, truly breathtaking.”
While she said the “political cut and thrust can be bruising” and comes with the territory, she said it should be remembered that there is a fundamental responsibility to the children and young people at the center of these matters, and that responsibility alone should be the priority for all in the Dáil.
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