Politics

Sinn Féin failed to return Stormont security pass of ex-employee convicted of child sex offences

Former party press officer Michael McMonagle was suspended following 2021 arrest and last week pleaded guilty to multiple charges

Michael McMonagle in Derry.
Freya McClements
Fri Oct 04 2024 - 20:47

Sinn Féin failed to return the security pass which gave a former employee convicted of child sex offences access to Stormont Parliament Buildings or inform the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission of his arrest or the police investigation.

It meant former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle could have retained access to Stormont until this week, more than two years after he left the party’s employment and after he pleaded guilty to the offences.

A spokesperson for the commission told The Irish Times it cancelled his Assembly pass on October 1st “in light of recent circumstances”.

Last week McMonagle (42) from Limewood Street in Derry, pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and 12 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child on dates from 2020-21.

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McMonagle was suspended from his job with Sinn Féin after he was arrested in August 2021 and left the party when his contract expired in June 2022.

Seán Mag Uidhir, an influential Sinn Féin figure who headed the party’s media operation in the North and another press officer, Caolán McGinley, quit at the weekend after it emerged they provided references for McMonagle.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said she was “aghast and horrified” at their actions.

Sinn Féin has faced strong criticism over its handling of the controversy and increasing calls to answer questions, from politicians north and south.

“We need to know who knew what, when and where,” Taoiseach Simon Harris said. “I don’t think what we’ve heard to date about I didn’t know this, or I didn’t see that, is credible.”

In response to questions from The Irish Times on Friday, the Assembly Commission – the body corporate of the Northern Ireland Assembly – said McMonagle was “employed by a number of Sinn Féin Members of the Assembly between May 6th to October 31st, 2014, and again between March 2nd, 2020 to July 8th, 2022″.

Assembly passes “are issued as either MLA staff or party staff passes”, it said.

“The pass sponsor (the party or MLA employer) should return the pass once the pass-holder leaves their employment. This did not occur in this case.

“The Assembly Commission was not informed of the allegations against Michael McMonagle, or his suspension, or at any time asked to suspend or cancel Mr McMonagle’s pass.

“In light of recent circumstances, the Assembly Commission cancelled Mr McMonagle’s pass on October 1st, 2024.”

In response to a query from The Irish Times, Sinn Fein said: “When Micheal McMonagle’s employment was suspended his pass should have been revoked.”

It is not clear whether McMonagle retained the pass or used it to access Parliament Buildings between July 8th 2022 – when the Commission said he left Sinn Féin’s employment – and the cancellation of his pass this week.

“Data from the Assembly’s Visitor Management System is retained for a period of 90 days and the pass in question has not been used within that period,” the body said.

It said he used a one-day visitor pass to attend the Great Hall on February 14th, 2023. Images have shown him in the vicinity of the Ms O’Neill, at the event for a six-year-old organ donation campaigner in his then role with the British Heart Foundation.

Sinn Féin has been criticised for not alerting the charity about McMonagle’s arrest or the police investigation.

On Friday, the North’s Minister for Justice Naomi Long asked why Sinn Féin had not done so, saying it was a “significant question that they need to reflect on whether that was appropriate or not”.

The DUP leader Gavin Robinson accused Sinn Féin of “trying to shut the story down” and said the party “need to provide those answers to the satisfaction of the wider general public”.

Freya McClements

Freya McClements

Freya McClements is Northern Editor of The Irish Times