Sinn Fein scandals: What First Minister Michelle O'Neill may be grilled on today

On Tuesday, Michelle O’Neill corrected the record in the Assembly after claiming on Monday that the child who received inappropriate messages from Niall O Donnghaile was “in fact 17” according to party records. That’s despite the teenager saying the day before that was 16 at the time, and party leader Mary Lou McDonald also accepting that on Monday.

It is the latest in a series of corrections – or omissions of relevant pieces of information – by the First Minister.

The scandal over her party’s handling of the now-convicted child sex offender Michael McMonagle sparked the current crisis facing Sinn Fein – which was only brought to light by the Sunday World newspaper.

At key stages, the First Minister has provided less than the full picture. If, as expected, she appears to answer MLAs’ questions at committee today, she may have to.

The events began when Sinn Fein press officers Séan Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley resigned – Sinn Fein claim they provided unauthorised references for McMonagle three months after he was dismissed from the party while under police investigation for child sex offences. The First Minister said she was “aghast and horrified” at their actions.

The First Minister apparently became aware of the allegations against McMonagle when Sinn Fein suspended him from his job, and membership of the party, in June 2022. However she has said Michael McMonagle “was not on my radar at all from we took disciplinary action”.

Critics have questioned how she apparently showed no interest in the whereabouts of a former colleague facing such serious charges.

Then there’s the photographs. On the 2nd October, The Irish News published a photograph showing Michelle O'Neill at the same British Heart Foundation (BHF) event as McMonagle in February 2023. The First Minister told Stormont's Executive Office committee that she did not see Michael McMonagle standing just yards in front of her.

The First Minister told the same committee that she had only engaged with the family at the centre of the February 2023 event “not with anybody who may have been with the British Heart Foundation”. The following week the BBC's Nolan Show revealed photos showing Michelle O’Neill talking to the head of the British Heart Foundation at the same event – something the First Minister subsequently accepted.

Then there’s her junior minister. Ms O’Neill interjected to stop TUV MLA Timothy Gaston from asking Aisling Reilly about what she saw at the February 2023 event. We still don’t know what Ms O’Neill’s junior minister saw, or didn’t see – and it now appears she won’t return to the committee. Last time, the FM told Mr Gaston: “I’ll take the question. I think I’ve already dealt with the question chair, to be fair”. Committee chair Paula Bradshaw interjected to say “I think you have too, yes”. The First Minister had not.

Then there’s the unnamed HR official who apparently failed to tell senior SF figures about the references for McMonagle in August 2023. The First Minister said that person was no longer in post – but that they remained a Sinn Fein member. Their identity has never been revealed. MLAs may seek clarity on that point.

Perhaps the trickiest questions for Michelle O’Neill will be on Michael McMonagle’s employment – as it directly involved her, and goes to the heart of how Sinn Fein has been operating at Stormont.

The First Minister has said Michael McMonagle was a press officer. This is true. But she didn’t volunteer the fact that he had also worked for her directly during a period when she was deputy First Minister.

Nor did she reveal that at that point he held down three jobs, two of which he didn’t declare on a Westminster register. That was uncovered by the News Letter.

When she employed him “full-time”, how much time did he actually spend working for her? Did she declare his other jobs to Assembly authorities – or reveal that he was an associated person? If not, was any claim for his salary valid?

MLAs may ask – did he ever really work for the Ms O’Neill at all?

The News Letter also revealed that Sinn Fein did not inform the Assembly of McMonagle's suspension when he worked for Jemma Dolan MLA – and officials were not asked to revoke his pass to access Stormont. Why? Sinn Fein ignored questions on the issue.

An investigation by Stormont officials is now underway to establish if all rules on salaries were followed, prompted by the McMonagle case – but there’s nothing to stop the First Minister providing the clarity she’s declined to up to this point.

Then there’s Niall O Donnghaile – and Ms O’Neill’s assertion that the child he sent inappropriate messages to was 17 at the time, because that’s what party membership records said. How does the party’s child safeguarding policy mean anything if it doesn’t have accurate ages for children in its youth wing?

​Michelle O’Neill has said she is very happy to “engage” with the Stormont committee and “clarify the record”. MLAs expect that she will attend on Wednesday, but the Executive Office have yet to confirm that.