Sinn Féin again refuses to say Michelle O’Neill knew reasons for Niall Ó Donnghaile’s resignation

Sinn Féin has again refused to confirm that Michelle O’Neill knew the real reason behind the resignation of the party’s former leader in the Seanad.

The party will only say that Sinn Féin’s leadership was “made aware” of the background to Niall Ó Donnghaile’s suspension in September last year.

The former mayor of Belfast was suspended by the party in line with what it calls “our child protection guidelines” after learning he had sent inappropriate text messages to a 17-year-old man.

Sinn Féin has also insisted that the recipient of the texts was not 16 years old at the time, as claimed elsewhere.

Mr Ó’Donnghaile resigned from the Seanad just three months after being suspended by the party, where he had represented Sinn Féin since 2016.

He was still paid an annual salary of around £6,600 a month, before tax, until January 22 this year, and received a specified redundancy payment, plus six monthly payments of 75% of his previous salary.

In a party statement last December announcing Mr Ó Donnghaile’s resignation, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald thanked him for his contribution to the Seanad.

She referred to the “health challenges he has faced in recent months” before adding that the former council member “served diligently” during his time as a senator.

Speaking on the matter on Wednesday, Ms O’Neill said: “I think Mary Lou has set out very categorically everything we knew and when we knew it in the Dáil statement.

“We were very aware of the legal advice that was taken and the naming of the person.

“I think we can confidently stand behind the approach we have taken and… from day one we have been committed to being as transparent as possible in setting out all the facts.”

Opposition Leader Matthew O’Toole said that “Sinn Fein’s failure to be forthright and fully transparent only raises more questions”.

“If there were concerns about the protection of Mr Ó Donnghaile, sufficient to suspend him from the party and end his Seanad career, why did the party help facilitate a planned exit, complete with continued salary payments and warm words from members of the leadership?” said the SDLP MLA.

“It may be that these actions are explainable, but the clandestine and opaque manner in which Sinn Féin conducts itself on these issues continues to raise reasonable questions.”

DUP MLA Phillip Brett said Sinn Féin’s record has “changed so many times”.

“There are fundamental questions that leadership must answer collectively:

“For example, when was the Prime Minister aware of the real reason for Niall Ó Donnagaile’s resignation?

“Did the First Minister support the release of a party statement that misled the public about why Niall Ó Donnagaile resigned and does she believe it was acceptable for him to remain in office for months after Sinn Féin became aware of his activities?”