Michelle O’Neill has said she was unaware a former Sinn Féin press officer who was being investigated by police for sexual offences was present at a Stormont event in February last year alongside the family of Daithí Mac Gabhann.
Michael McMonagle, whose employment with Sinn Féin had ended nine months previous after the party learned of the criminal probe, was at Parliament Buildings in his capacity as a communications officer with the British Heart Foundation, which was supporting the family’s campaign for organ opt-out legislation.
BBC footage from the event reveals the former Sinn Féin press officer was a matter of feet away from the then first minister designate and her special adviser John Loughran as they greeted the Mac Gabhann family in the Great Hall in Parliament Buildings.
Last month, 42-year-old McMonagle, from Limewood Street in Derry, admitted a series of sex offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Two of his former colleagues in the Sinn Féin press office, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, last week resigned from the party after it emerged they had provided references for McMonagle as he sought a new job with the British Heart Foundation.
On Wednesday, the first minister called the action of the two press officers “gross misconduct” and said she had “zero tolerance” of their actions.
After McMonagle successfully secured a role with the charity, he was closely involved in the ‘Daithí’s law’ campaign and would have been present at events organised by the family in Stormont and at Westminster.
Asked by The Irish News if she was aware her former press officer was present at the February 14 event in Parliament Buildings, Ms O’Neill said she did not see him there.
“I was not aware that Michael McMonagle was at that event,” she said.
“We go into the hall with a number of people, he was not on my radar at all from when we took disciplinary action.
“I am confident to say that I did not know anything about Michael McMonagle’s whereabouts – I was there to support the campaign and the legislation.”
Ms O’Neill had earlier told Stormont’s Executive Committee she was “aghast and horrified” that the two former Sinn Féin employees had given him references.
“It would not have happened if they had come and asked for permission,” she said.
Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole said Sinn Féin needed to “provide a full, open account of all they knew and their handling to put to rest speculation”.
