First Minister and Alliance MLA accused of 'shielding' SF junior minister from questioning on McMonagle scandal

The North Antrim MLA has also asked the Assembly Commissioner for standards to investigate “potential breeches of the Ministerial Code” – relating to the first minister’s position that she did not see her party’s former press officer Michael McMonagle standing feet in front of her at an event in Stormont in February 2023.

Mr McMonagle was working for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) at the time, after being suspended by Sinn Fein when it emerged he was under investigation by the police over child sex offences. He was subsequently pleaded guilty to 14 offences, including attempted sexual communication with a child.

Sinn Fein MLA Aisling Reilly – now a junior minister to Michelle O’Neill – was also at the event organised by the BHF, and welcomed the delegation into Stormont. Mr McMonagle was carrying a banner directly behind the family of Dáithí Mac Gabhann, to whom she was speaking.

Timothy Gaston attempted to question the junior minister on the matter during Wednesday’s meeting of the Executive Office committee at Stormont. However, Michelle O’Neill interjected and said she would answer the question.

Committee chair Paula Bradshaw of the Alliance Party did not facilitate Mr Gaston’s attempt to question the junior minister.

The TUV MLA pointed to Michelle O’Neill’s denial of having seen Mr McMonagle at the events and asked “can the junior minister Reilly say the same – and can you detail what your interaction was with Michael McMonagle on that day”?

First Minister O’Neill said “I’ll take the question. I think I’ve already dealt with the question chair, to be fair”. Paula Bradshaw interjected to say “I think you have too, yes”.

The first minister did not go on to answer the question which was posed to the junior minister. Instead, she repeated her position that she was “horrified” that a reference had been given by party staff for Mr McMonagle and she did not authorise it. Her party colleague Carál Ní Chuilín – addressing Mr Gaston – said the questions “need to be related to TEO” [The Executive Office, which Ms O’Neill leads].

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Gaston said “The Stormont system has many deficiencies but one of the improvements to it made by my predecessor Jim Allister was to make provision for the Assembly Commissioner for Standards to investigate potential breeches of the Ministerial Code. Following today’s publication of a photograph showing Ms O’Neill in close proximity to convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle at an event in Stormont’s Great Hall in February last year, I have today written to the Commissioner asking her to investigate a potential breech of the Ministerial Code. The code requires Ministers to uphold the seven principles of public life, including openness and honesty. The photograph published today demands that the First Minister answers for how she has upheld these principles.

“I have also tabled a Matter of the Day and an Urgent Oral question on the matter which I trust will result in an opportunity for these profoundly serious issues to be discussed on the floor of the Assembly on Monday.

“It is important to note that Ms O’Neill is not the only person in the Sinn Fein ministerial team with serious questions to answer. During yesterday’s meeting of the Executive Office Committee I attempted to ask Junior Minister Reilly if she would say the same as the First Minister and claim that she didn’t see McMonagle at the Stormont event. Ms O’Neill, with the assistance of the committee chair, shielded Junior Minister Reilly from that question. Had she been required to answer and the committee performed its proper role in scrutinising the Ministers rather than having a chair protect them I would have challenged Junior Minister Reilly on the fact that she can be seen in a photo with McMonagle.

“This whole affair proves once again that Sinn Fein are supremely unfit for office. It’s time the Unionists in the Executive pulled the plug.”

The News Letter has contacted Sinn Fein about the event Aisling Reilly attended at which Mr McMonagle was present.