Covid cash: Fourth member of Sinn Fein quits

The West Tyrone MLA tendered her resignation to party leader Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday afternoon.

Ms McDonald acknowledge and apologised “once again” for the “clear failure to immediately reimburse public money”.

Ms Kelly’s resignation comes following three party activists including former Foyle MP Elisha McCallion and officials in Upper Bann and West Tyrone resigned.

Ms McDonald described Ms Kelly’s “failure” to return the Covid-19 grant as “unacceptable”.

“Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a small business grant of £10,000 was lodged in error,” the Sinn Fein president said.

“The grant was unsolicited and has been repaid in full. The failure to return the grant immediately is unacceptable. Catherine fully accepts that she did not discharge her duties as a public representative in this regard.”

Ms McDonald said the incorrect lodgement of small business grants into three Sinn Fein accounts had come to the attention of the party leadership over the course of Monday and Tuesday.

“The party’s examination of this matter is now complete,” she said.

“As leader, I once again acknowledge and apologise for the clear failure to immediately reimburse public money.”

In a statement, Ms Kelly apologised “unreservedly” to the party and to the public.

She said the party had “correctly intervened” in relation to “the failure to immediately return money that had incorrectly been paid into a party account in West Tyrone”.

“I have been a signatory to that account for a number of years and as such had a responsibility to ensure it was operated to the highest standard. That did not happen in this case,” Ms Kelly added.

“I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and therefore I have tendered my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect.

“I apologise unreservedly to the party, to those who vote for us, and to the wider public.”

Asked about the matter at the Executive press conference on Thursday, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that the decision not to return the Covid-19 relief funds was “wrong” and that it should not have happened.

The DUP is investigating whether a landlord it rents a constituency office from received the Covid relief cash meant for struggling businesses.

First Minister Arlene Foster said that no DUP member has received the grant, adding the party made sure that none of the party offices received the grant.

She said the scheme was designed so that it would not benefit politicians.

DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has said Sinn Fein MLA John O’Dowd should make a statement explaining the resignation of the party’s Upper Bann chairperson in light of the issue.

TUV leader Jim Allister said: “Last week Sinn Fein said this issue was done and dusted and yet now another MLA has resigned. It does raise questions about what is the full story here.”

UUP Leader Steve Aiken said: “Questions remain about Sinn Fein, their offices and the control of their finances. It is also strange that the one named MLA in the answers to the Nolan programme from the Department of Finance, Maolíosa McHugh, remains in position despite his failure to declare interests at the Finance Committee. Either he has been misled by members of his own Party, or he still has many questions to answer.”