Councilors agree to removal of Niall Ó Donnghaile mayoral portrait from Belfast City Hall – The Irish News

A Lord Mayoral portrait of former Sinn Féin councilor Niall Ó Donnghaile will be removed from Belfast City Hall at the request of the DUP.

Mr Ó Donnghaile admitted last year to sending “inappropriate” messages to a teenager, the latest in a series of security scandals that have roiled the party in recent weeks. Sinn Féin referred the matter to the PSNI and social services last September, but no criminal investigation was launched.

A meeting of party group leaders at Belfast City Council took place on Thursday where the issue of Mr Ó Donnghaile’s portrait was discussed.

DUP councilor Dean McCullough made the proposal in a letter to the council’s lawyer, with his party saying keeping the portrait would cause “great embarrassment” to the council and its reputation.

It is understood Sinn Féin councilors agreed to the portrait’s removal at the meeting.

After taking office as the city’s first citizen, Belfast’s mayors have their portraits painted and exhibited to mark their year in the role. The former Sinn Féin press officer had become the city’s youngest ever mayor in 2011 at the age of 25.

However, after Mr Ó Donnghaile admitted sending the inappropriate messages, councilors agreed to have his portrait removed.

Speaking to the media on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill said it was “appropriate” that the portrait was removed.

“I think it’s appropriate. His behavior was completely inappropriate so I think we had no problem supporting the removal of the portrait,” Ms O’Neill said.

Belfast City Council has been contacted for comment.