Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she is “furious” and “disgusted” that two former senior party officials gave a reference to a party press officer under investigation for child sex abuse.
The growing scandal over the references for Michael McMonagle and the party’s silence about the allegations has engulfed the party North and South in recent days, leading to Ms McDonald ordering a review of the party’s governance.
On Tuesday morning speaking to Pat Kenny on Newstalk Ms McDonald sought to target blame to the two men, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, who gave the references and to shortcomings in the party’s HR office.
“For the life of me I can’t explain to you how any rational person could consider giving him a reference,” she said. “They acted despicably.”
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[ Sinn Féin’s handling of sexual abuse a recurring issue for the partyOpens in new window ]
She said that when Sinn Féin discovered about the references “the two individuals jumped before they were pushed”.
Their actions were “unforgivable”, she said.
She acknowledged the party’s HR department did not pass on queries about the references, citing “churn in staffing” and “an issue over maternity cover”.
“We dropped the ball,” she said. “Sinn Féin dropped the ball.”
She defended Northern First Minister Michelle O’Neill who said she had not noticed McMonagle when he attended an event in Stormont with a small number of people for the British Heart Foundation.
“She didn’t see him,” Ms McDonald said. “She has answered that question.”
She said to draw inferences about the culture of Sinn Féin from the events was “very unfair to people in the party”.
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