Mary Lou McDonald defends Ó Donnghaile’s handling of inappropriate text messages

Sinn Féin’s decision not to reveal that a senator was suspended for sending inappropriate text messages to a teenager when he resigned last year has been defended by the party’s president.

Niall Ó Donnghaile, who was also a former mayor of Belfast, confirmed that police had been informed but no formal complaint had been received.

Mary Lou McDonald said that following a referral by Sinn Féin, there was no illegality and no criminal charges were brought.

She has come under pressure because of the party addressing recent child protection issues.

Mr Ó Donnghaile confirmed this in a statement to the Irish newsexternal announced on Tuesday that he sent an inappropriate text message to a youth member of the party, a 17-year-old boy in Northern Ireland.

It is believed the message was personal in nature but not sexually explicit.

The party said that when it received the complaint in September 2023, it followed its child protection policy, suspended Mr Ó Donnghaile and referred them to police and social services.

The same month, Sinn Féin said the PSNI had told them no investigation was being carried out.

Mr Ó Donnghaile later resigned from the party.

On Tuesday, McDonald said a second person, an adult, had also received inappropriate text messages from Mr Ó Donnghaile and had been informed of their right to make a complaint, but they did not.

In his statement to the Irish News, Mr Ó Donnghaile said he accepted that his conduct justified him resigning 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 wellbeing, issues he had been dealing with since 2021.

BBC News NI has contacted him for comment.

In a statement at the time, Mr Ó Donnghaile said he had been unable to attend the Seanad since the summer recess “on the advice of my doctor”.

McDonald issued a statement at the time thanking him for his service to the party.

During a debate on Tuesday, she reiterated that he had previously been on leave due to “serious mental health issues”.

“When he resigned, we were told that following the complaint he was suffering a mental health crisis and was deemed medically incapacitated,” McDonald said.

“We were concerned that publicly naming him would be dangerous to his health and we had very serious concerns about his health and safety – I still have some to this day.”

In a post on social media on Tuesday, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Gavin Robinson responded to the news that when Mr Ó Donnghaile resigned his party “allowed a graceful exit” but “they knew what the real reason was ”.

“The contempt and apparent cover-up continues,” he added.

The DUP and Ulster Unionist Party have called on Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill to make a statement on the issue to the meeting.

Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the latest revelations about Mr Ó Donnghaile “raise serious and fundamental questions about the party and its governance”.

He claimed the Oireachtas had been “misled as to the full reasons” for his dismissal.

“It is clear that when it comes to Sinn Féin, the party always comes first,” he said.

Analysis from BBC News NI political reporter Brendan Hughes:

These controversies may have different complexities and timelines, but they all raise questions about accountability and transparency.

Sinn Féin’s political rivals will be lining up to ask who knew what and when.

And in particular, the focus will be on Sinn Féin’s handling of issues relating to the protection of children.

Sinn Féin will hope that McDonald, outlining the party’s actions in full, will help take the heat off in recent weeks.

But on both sides of the border, their political opponents will argue that many questions remain unanswered.

Read more from Brendan here.

The Dáil debate on Tuesday provided an opportunity for the parties to debate another issue relating to Sinn Féin’s handling of a separate case involving former press secretary Michael McMonagle, who admitted child abuse.

The party was criticized after it emerged that two Sinn Féin press officers had provided references for their former colleague for a charity job.

In September, McMonagle admitted a series of offenses including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He will be sentenced in the coming weeks.

Both press officers, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, have now resigned.

On this, McDonald said she has initiated a review of procedures within the party.

McDonald also reiterated in the Dáil on Tuesday that the move by two former press officers to provide Michael McMonagle with job references when he was under investigation for child abuse was “reprehensible and inexcusable”.

She said Mag Uidhir and McGinley “knew their actions were criminal offences, so they jumped up before they were pushed”.

The Sinn Féin leader also apologized directly to the British Heart Foundation for being “dragged into this controversy”.