“Houston, we have a problem.”
To say Sinn Féin is struggling with presentation would be a gross understatement.
They appear to have a serious problem when it comes to handling matters and messaging around sex allegations. SF doesn’t seem to have learned anything from past form.
At the heart of the issue is the rigid structural nature of Sinn Féin. It’s simply not set up to be transparent. It prioritises internal discipline over public interest disclosure and is run by a clique on a need to know basis.
In 2019, when John O’Dowd unexpectedly challenged Michelle O’Neill as Vice President, the Sinn Féin hierarchy was unhappily caught off guard.
There were no hustings or interviews. No figures were initially included in the result. They argued this was an internal party matter. It was anything but as the victor would not only be leader of Sinn Féin in the North but deputy first minister too. There was clear public interest. Over 30% of the membership voted for O’Dowd but no one yet knows what policy differences the challenger had with incumbent.
Sinn Féin was proud of its media operation. They have also been blessed with some very articulate spokespeople on both sides of the border.
But that was yesterday - not today.
Sinn Féin’s ‘Slick Willies’ of media management are in Frank Spencer like free-fall.
Things initially unravelled over the McMonagle debacle.
Given the timelines (which are now public), it’s difficult to understand how the preparation for the scandal was so poor. This was a calamitous example on how not to handle a crisis.
Conor Murphy, the Sinn Féin minister for the economy, is normally quite composed when dealing with the media but when questioned about who knew, what and when by the BBC, he flashed his teeth and gnarled at the reporter, incredulous at being asked at all.
Others sought to unfairly (and unwisely) deflect part of the blame unto the British Heart Foundation (BHF). When BHF CEO, Feargal McKinney, comprehensively responded, it was clear Sinn Féin’s narrative was unravelling.
The photos in The Irish News showing McMonagle a mere few feet away from the First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, at Stormont were startling.
Equally damaging were the reports that McMonagle later attended events in Westminster with other senior Sinn Féin representatives present.
The reality is, all of this may have been explained rationally if the Sinn Féin leadership hadn’t tried to skew and drip feed information into the public domain. Whatever the explanation, there’s a clear breakdown in the internal processes of Sinn Féin when it comes to child protection matters.
What was a problem in Belfast soon spread to Sinn Féin’s Dublin HQ in Parnell Square. Again, the same tetchiness was repeated with the media with SF spokespeople giving even more unsatisfactory answers.
The handling of the departure of former Sinn Féin Senate leader, Niall Ó Donnghaile was totally inept. The explanations fall short and timelines simply don’t match up.
Why was Ó Donnghaile allowed to remain in situ months after being stood down from Sinn Féin?
Sinn Féin tied themselves in knots by trying to tone down the praise given to the former Senator by McDonald when he was departing. A simple ‘mea culpa” would have sufficed but for Sinn Féin saying sorry really is the hardest thing. They’d prefer to dance on a pinhead.
To make matters worse, Sinn Féin are now in a bitter public spat with two sitting TDs - Brian Stanley and Patricia Ryan.
Sinn Féin has lashed out at the media and opposition parties by attempting to use the victim card. But there are real victims out there and honeyed words of self pity won’t wash with them.
Cherishing all the children of the nation equally means putting child protection front and centre in every Irish organisation/institution including Sinn Féin. Halloween has come early for Mary Lou and her comrades.