THE case of Michael McMonagle is a hugely disturbing one, and the decision by Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald to order what she described as a “complete overhaul” of governance procedures within the party was the minimum response required in the circumstances.
Issues linked to child protection must always be treated with the utmost seriousness, and the sequence of events surrounding McMonagle, a former Sinn Féin press officer, has caused widespread alarm.
He was first arrested by the PSNI for suspected child sex offences in August 2021, and Sinn Féin said that it suspended him as soon as it became aware of the development.
McMonagle’s term of employment with Sinn Féin at the Assembly formally ended in July of the following year, but he then obtained a new post with the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which did not know that he was under police investigation.
Last month, McMonagle (42), with an address in Derry, admitted a series of charges, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and is due to be sentenced in November.
However, it then emerged that in 2022 two other serving Sinn Féin press officers provided him with references for the BHF role, which the party insisted had happened entirely without consultation.
When a Sunday newspaper raised questions about the matter at the end of last month, it was abruptly announced that the two press officers, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, had resigned from the party.
It was then confirmed that the BHF had contacted a Sinn Féin human resources (HR) manager about McMonagle in August 2023, with the party saying that its leadership was not informed about the approach.
There are many other concerning aspects to the scandal, including the tone of initial comments from senior Sinn Féin figures which appeared to question the BHF’s due diligence in relation to the recruitment of McMonagle.
It was appropriate that first minister Michelle O’Neill said in the Assembly on Monday that she was “deeply sorry” for the reputational damage caused to the respected charity, but the party still needs to go much further in setting out the overall background to the debacle and providing assurances that it can never happen again.
Others should also review their contributions to the debate, as recent statements made by Traditional Unionist Voice representatives contrasted sharply with the astonishing condolences offered when party member David Tweed, who served time for jail for child sex abuse, died in 2021.
What is vital is that all our main parties should demonstrate their full commitment to protecting children and all other vulnerable individuals, after one of the most perturbing periods in the recent history of Stormont.
