Sinn Fein knew for 14-months they had given references to child sex offender – and did nothing – Doherty

A Fine Gael MEP is calling on Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald to admit what she and her senior leadership knew about senior members of her team giving references to a child sex offender from her team.

Regina Doherty MEP says the British Heart Foundation has this weekend totally exposed Sinn Féin’s explanation of events as a nonsense.

“The story that Sinn Fein has pushed for more than a week to try explain away giving references to enable a child sex offender to work with children at a charity has been blown apart.

“Sinn Fein can no longer claim they did not know, at a senior level in their organisation for 14-months, that they had given references to a paedophile who went on to work with children at a charity.

“First, we were asked to believe that not one, but two, press officers didn’t tell anyone they were providing employment references for Michael McMonagle.

“Now we are being asked to believe a HR Manager also didn’t tell anyone when they were contacted by the British Heart Foundation in August 2023. Does no in Sinn Fein talk to each other, even when it relates to child abuse?

“Mary Lou McDonald takes to her feet in the Dáil on a daily basis to lecture others, but this awful episode shows yet again that some in Sinn Fein believe the rules, even on something as serious as child protection, don’t apply to them.

“Mary Lou McDonald’s silence is no longer deafening, it’s now cowardly.

“In her Budget speech this week Deputy McDonald said she wanted to be Taoiseach. She is unfit to be anywhere near the office. She has headed for the hills again and does not know what leadership looks like. Sinn Fein is not a normal political party.

“At this late stage, Deputy McDonald should order an external and independent review into who in her team knew what and when.

“She needs to stop lecturing others and ask why her organisation gave a paedophile references to work with children and did nothing for 14-months when it was reported to them.

“I call on the invisible President of Sinn Fein to make a statement to the Dáil.”