Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald is facing criticism and questions after having previously praised Niall Ó Donnghaile’s work for the party but never disclosing he had resigned 10 weeks earlier over the texts.
The former senator identified himself as the party member who resigned after being suspended over inappropriate text messages to a teenager.
Mr Ó Donnghaile, who previously served as Belfast Lord Mayor, stood down from the Seanad in the Republic last December for health reasons.
At the time Ms McDonald praised the politician for serving “diligently”, making a “valuable contribution” to the Oireachtas and explained his exit was on health grounds.
Ms McDonald avoided saying that Mr Ó Donnghaile had resigned from her party after being suspended by the party and referred to the PSNI.
In a post on social media, DUP leader Gavin Robinson questioned Sinn Fein about that tribute, posting: “When Niall O’Donnghaile stepped down, he did so for health reasons. Mary Lou wished him well. SF enabled a graceful departure. They knew the real reason. The contempt and apparent cover up continues.”
Fianna Fail leader and Tanaiste Micheal Martin said revelations about former senator Niall O Donnghaile raise “fundamental questions” about Sinn Fein’s governance.
In a statement, he said: “For the first time, Sinn Fein has revealed O Donnghaile was suspended from the party following ‘inappropriate’ text messages to a teenager, which were referred to the PSNI.
“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 O Donnghaile’s resignation, following actions which the party itself described as ‘unacceptable’.
“It is apparent when it comes to Sinn Fein, the party always comes first. It is clear Sinn Fein again failed to tell the truth on a very serious matter and seem to have been involved in a very elaborate cover-up.”
In her statement to the Dail, Ms McDonald claimed the party did not inform parliament in the Republic about the circumstances around Mr O Donnghaile’s resignation as the party was worried that publicly naming him would be “dangerous to his health”.
It has also been confirmed he has resigned from his ambassadorial role at the west Belfast GAA club Laochra Loch Lao.
The club confirmed it was an ambassadorial role and he never had any contact with children or vulnerable groups.
The club added that they would be making no further statement.
The Belfast man was a member of the Republic of Ireland’s upper chamber since 2016.
Before entering politics south of the border he was a Belfast councillor and in 2011, aged 25, became the city’s youngest Lord Mayor.
At the weekend it emerged that a Sinn Fein member had previously resigned from the party for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a Northern Ireland teenager, aged 17.
In a statement to the Irish News today, Mr Ó Donnghaile said that, in consultation with Sinn Féin, he accepted that his behaviour necessitated 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,” he said.
The former senator said he deeply regrets any upset caused to the recipient of the messages and offered an apology.
“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.”
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In her statement about the resignation, Ms McDonald said: “On September 11 2023 a party councillor received a complaint that an inappropriate message had been sent by Niall O 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 O 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 O 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 O 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.”
Mary Lou McDonald said the PSNI informed Sinn Fein 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 O Donnghaile’s actions were not acceptable. This was made clear to Niall O Donnghaile at a meeting on October 5 [2023].”
She added: “Niall O Donnghaile stated that he would be resigning both from the Seanad and the party.”
Ms 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 Mr O Donnghaile.
“He faced those consequences, ones that were proportionate to his unacceptable behaviour.”
She added that Mr O 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 O 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 O Donnghaile publicly resigned on December 21 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.”
Mr Ó Donnghaile was previously the leader of Sinn Fein’s Seanad group and was a member of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement.
It is understood that the text messages involved were not sexually explicit, but personal and physical in nature.
The teenager was a member of Sinn Fein’s youth wing, Ógra Shinn Féin, but has since left the party over the situation.
It is the latest controversy to engulf Sinn Fein in recent weeks, following the resignation of two party press officers over job references they provided to their former colleague Michael McMonagle, who is awaiting sentencing after admitting a string of child sex offences.
Also at the weekend, long-serving Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley resigned from the party amid complaints against him following an internal inquiry.
Mr Stanley slammed the inquiry as a “type of kangaroo court” and accused members of Sinn Fein of “character assassination” against him. It’s understood he made a “serious” counter-allegation during the investigation process.
Sinn Fein said it has referred the matter to gardai.
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News Catch Up – Tuesday 15 October