Michelle O’Neill has assured MLAs of her “absolute determination” to protect children and vulnerable people amid controversy over how Sinn Féin dealt with a former press officer child sex offender.
The First Minister was facing questions in the Assembly chamber over the Michael McMonagle scandal.
An urgent question was submitted by DUP MLA Diane Dodds on Monday asking if confidence in Ms O’Neill’s office has been “diminished” given The Executive Office’s responsibilities towards victim and survivors of childhood abuse.
“Let me be crystal clear on this point,” Ms O’Neill replied.
“I’m absolute and committed to ensuring the most robust policies are in place.
“As a mother and a grandmother, I assert my absolute determination to protect children and vulnerable people.”
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Last month, former Sinn Fein press officer McMonagle (42) from Limewood Street, Derry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
It later emerged two of Sinn Fein’s former party press officers provided references for McMonagle in 2022, for a job with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), after he was suspended from the party following his arrest in 2021.
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Ms O’Neill said both press officers resigned from the party after disciplinary proceedings were initiated.
“Their actions would have constituted gross misconduct which would have resulted in their dismissal,” she added.
Ms O’Neill also told MLAs that she attended a BHF campaign event for Dáithí Mac Gabhann on February 14, 2023 in Stormont but was “not aware” Mr McMonagle was there and had “no knowledge” he was working for the charity.
The First Minister insisted that she and Sinn Fein were made aware on September 25 this year that two former press officers had provided Mr McMonagle with a reference.
Ms O’Neill said she is “absolutely appalled and horrified” by the incident.
“These references were given without the knowledge or authorisation of the party and under no circumstances would the party have provided such references,” she added.
The Sinn Fein vice president reiterated her apology over the weekend for the hurt distressed caused and repeated her “anger and disgust” that the two press officers had sent references to the BHF for McMonagle.
It came as the charity revealed that, in August 2023, it made contact with a senior Sinn Fein HR official and informed them that it had two references from the party.
That has raised awkward questions after several senior Sinn Fein figures insisted the party only became aware of the references in recent days.
Ms O’Neill told MLAs on Monday that the charity had contacted the party’s “former HR manager” who did not inform her or the party.
“That was a serious omission,” she conceded, but insisted issues result “primarily from the actions of two former press officers”.
The First Minister also apologised for the “reputational damage” caused to the BHF as a result of how Sinn Féin dealt with Mr McMonagle and she regretted it has happened.
Describing his actions “as utterly reprehensible”, Ms O’Neill said he is being “fully held accountable under the law, his crimes have inflicted significant harm on his victims and there is nothing more reprehensible than the abuse of a child.”
However Ms Dodds said Stormont accused Ms O’Neill of trying to “create distance” between herself and Mr McMonagle and warned that Stormont needs truth and not the “denial of responsibility”.
In a supplementary question the DUP MLA asked how the public can have “confidence” in Ms O’Neill “when you appear not to know the facts, refuse to be fulsome in your explanation, and deny responsibility, apologising only for the press officers and not the Sinn Féin cover-up?”
But Ms O’Neill said she was grateful for the opportunity to set the record straight.
”I want the public to be assured that safeguarding is of paramount importance to me, particularly when it comes to young children,” she said.
“Had I known, I would have stopped.”