Explanation: Timeline of Sinn Féin scandals – News

Eva Osborne

It would be fair to say that Sinn Féin has suffered multiple scandals in recent weeks, from the Michael McMonagle controversy to the resignation of Brian Stanley.

So here’s a timeline of the party recent issues…

turned on Saturday, September 28Sean Mag Uidhir and Caolan McGinley have resigned as Sinn Féin press chiefs, days after it emerged they had given references to former colleague Michael McMonagle for a charity job in 2022.

The party said it was not aware of the references until the previous week and said they were provided without party authorization. Sinn Féin described the actions of press officers as “unacceptable and wrong”.

Last month McMonagle, 42, of Limewood Street, Derry, admitted a string of offences, including attempting to induce a child to engage in sexual activity.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the revelations were “deeply disturbing” and said he expected Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to answer “legitimate questions” about the matter.

Party vice-president Michelle O’Neill and MP Conor Murphy insisted it was not the party’s responsibility to inform the British Heart Foundation that McMonagle had faced allegations, saying doing so could have prejudiced the police investigation .

Northern Ireland’s police chief later indicated that he did not believe that passing on information to Sinn Féin that a former employee was being investigated for sex offenses had prejudiced the investigation.

turned on Friday, October 4it was revealed that Sinn Féin had not returned McMonagle’s security pass or informed the Assembly Committee of his arrest or suspension from the party.

The commission said that the sponsor of the pass (which is the party or an individual MLA) should return the pass once the holder leaves his job.

“That did not happen in this case,” the commission said in a statement.

In a statement, Sinn Féin said: “When Michael McMonagle’s employment was suspended, his pass should have been revoked.”

Then it was revealed Saturday October 5that a senior Sinn Féin official was told of the referrals by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in August 2023, although he indicated that September 25 was the first he heard about.

The party then faced calls for transparency, with DUP leader Gavin Robinson saying; “It’s time for full transparency from Sinn Féin. Is the truth being hidden or is there a complete lack of competence? It’s time for honesty.”

Sinn Féin then acknowledged that the BHF had contacted a Sinn Féin HR official in August 2023 to check references, following media coverage of McMonagle.

Michelle O’Neill said she was not told of that contact at the time, following the news that she employed McMonagle directly during her time working in the Northern Assembly.

turned on Wednesday, October 9it was reported that a Stormont committee is to seek legal advice on what basis it can invite Northern Ireland Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill to answer further questions about the Michael McMonagle controversy.

Over the following weekend, it was revealed that a member of Sinn Féin resigned from the party after allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a 17-year-old boy.

The party member was suspended by Sinn Féin in September 2023 and the incident was referred to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and social services.

Former Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile was revealed on Wednesday to be the party member suspended for sending inappropriate texts to a 17-year-old.

Ó Donnghaile told the Irish News in a statement that he accepted his actions warranted his resignation from the party.

With Sinn Féin still in the throes of controversy over McMonagle’s references and the revelation of a party member’s resignation over alleged inappropriate messaging of a 17-year-old, another scandal was thrown into the mix during the weekend.

Brian Stanley, who had been chief executive of Laois-Offaly since 2011 and chairman of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee, announced his resignation from Sinn Féin on Saturday October 12.

In a statement issued to Laois Today, Stanley said his decision comes after a “complaint” was made about him which led to an internal party investigation.

He questioned the party’s process, claiming it “lacked objectivity” and was “seriously flawed”.

He added: “Given what I have experienced and how Sinn Féin has dealt with this and other matters across the party in recent months, I can no longer have confidence in it.”

At the time, Mary Lou McDonald said the complaint at the center of a Stanley disciplinary inquiry, as well as a “serious” counter-allegation that arose during the proceedings, had been passed on to gardaí.

McDonald said a complaint was made against the Laois TD at the end of July by a long-standing member of the party. She declined to comment on the details of the complaint.

turned on Tuesday, October 14Stanley accused Sinn Féin members of orchestrating a “character assassination” against him as he said the matters should have been referred to the garda “a long time ago”.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said at the time that the conflicting timelines offered by Stanley and McDonald had created “another layer of confusion and lack of clarity”.

Sinn Féin then claimed it advised Stanley to go to the garda over concerns he raised during an internal investigation into an allegation against him.

A member of the Public Accounts Committee asked McDonald to clarify the timeline of events that led to Stanley’s resignation.

Fianna Fáil chief executive James O’Connor told Newstalk radio on Tuesday that he felt Sinn Féin was not being honest with the public about what was going on in relation to Stanley.