‘Questions for SF leadership’ on press team departures over McMonagle references

There are questions for the Sinn Fein leadership following the resignation of two party press officers who provided references for a former colleague who later admitted sex offences, the opposition leader at Stormont has said.

SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole said it was a “serious situation” and indicated he would be seeking further answers from the republican party.

Sean Mag Uidhir and Caolan McGinley resigned as Sinn Fein press officers on Saturday, days after it emerged that they had given references for former colleague Michael McMonagle for a job at a charity.

Earlier this month, McMonagle, 42, from Limewood Street in Londonderry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Sinn Fein has said the references were provided without clearance from the party and described the press officers’ actions as “unacceptable and wrong”.

The party has said the work references were provided three months after McMonagle was dismissed from the party while under police investigation.

The party said it only became aware of the references last week and launched an internal process.

In a statement, Mr O’Toole said: “This is a serious situation given that an individual has now pleaded guilty to the offences.

“There are questions for Sinn Fein’s leadership, particularly in the north, about what they knew, when they knew it and what action they took in line with the safeguarding obligations on organisations to protect vulnerable people.”

The SDLP MLA also raised the issue during members’ statements in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

He said: “In the last couple of days we have seen news of grave reports of a former member of staff in this Assembly who was given references by employees of a party in this Assembly who then went on to seek employment in another organisation.

“When it comes to accountability and responsibility there are further questions to be answered about that.

“I, and others, will be asking those questions and I hope that we get clear answers.”

A Sinn Fein statement said: “Following a media inquiry, Sinn Fein was made aware on Wednesday 25 September that, three months after Michael McMonagle’s employment ended, two former work colleagues were asked for work references in relation to their assessment of his work as a press officer.

“Both provided these references without clearance from Sinn Fein. This was unacceptable and wrong.

“The references were not provided by, or on behalf of Sinn Fein.

“Permission was not sought, nor would it have been given from the party for the provision of these references or their content.”

The statement added: “Sinn Fein became aware on Wednesday 25 September that these references had been provided.

“In view of the serious nature of this revelation, Sinn Fein undertook an immediate internal process.

“Before this process concluded, both press officers resigned from their positions and party membership with immediate effect.

“The two press officers resigned on Saturday 28 September.”

Neither Mr Mag Uidhir nor Mr McGinley has made any comment.

Mr Mag Uidhir was a senior figure in the party’s organisation in Northern Ireland and often appeared at media events with senior figures in the leadership.

McMonagle was first arrested in August 2021.

Sinn Fein has previously said as soon as it became aware of the arrest he was suspended from his job as a press officer at Stormont.

In September 2022, Mr Mag Uidhir and Mr McGinley provided the references for McMonagle for a job with the British Heart Foundation.

McMonagle pleaded guilty to 14 offences of attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity last week at Londonderry Crown Court last week.

The offences dated between May 2020 and August 2021.

He is due to be sentenced in November.

The resignation of the two press officers emerged as Sinn Fein was holding its Ard Fheis in Athlone.