FULL STATEMENT: Sinn Fein politician quits and leader apologises over Covid funding fiasco

In addition, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has issued an apology over the whole debacle, which saw three £10k grants incorrectly paid into accounts connected with her republican party.

However, the party has remained tight-lipped about the identities of two other Sinn Fein figures who have also resigned their posts – a chairperson in the Upper Bann area, and someone described only as “a party official in west Tyrone”.

The root of the whole episode dates back to March, when a scheme was unveiled to give £10,000 to each NI businesses which is small enough to claim business rate relief.

The aim was to help them deal with the knock-on effects of the anti-Covid lockdown.

Some people had to apply to the scheme, but others received their grant from the Department of the Economy automatically, based on information the government already held.

Politicians’ constituency offices were explicitly barred from the scheme, which closed to applicants in May.

But the Nolan Show reported this week that three such grants were paid into accounts connected with Sinn Fein, despite the eligibility criteria showing they were not entitled to it.

Stephen Nolan had said one of the payments related to Elisha McCallion – which was especially odd because she has not held any seat in Northern Ireland for a year (she is a senator in the Irish parliament though, with an office in Dublin).

Mr Nolan also spoke to West Tyrone MLA Maoliosa McHugh, who indicated the West Tyrone party branch had got one of the grants.

It was not clear precisely where the other £10k payment went, until Sinn Fein today revealed that it was paid to a “constituency account” in Lurgan.

The party has now repaid all the money – but this only happened on Tuesday, immediately ahead of the expose the Nolan Show was planning.

Today Sinn Fein HQ issued a statement from Mrs McDonald which read: “Over the course of Monday and Tuesday of this week, the Sinn Féin leadership established that three party offices incorrectly received lodgements of £10,000 under the Small Business Grant scheme established by the Department of Economy in March 2020.

“The payments were not applied for and were automatically received as part of the round of grant payments in late March/early April from the Land and Property Service (LPS).

“Payments were paid into constituency accounts in West Tyrone and Lurgan, and into Elisha McCallion’s account in respect of her former Westminster office.

“In each case the grant money has been returned in full, with repayments made on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

“These monies should have been returned immediately as no political offices qualified for this grant.

“The fact that this did not happen is unacceptable.

“The party has established in each case where responsibility lay for the administration of the accounts in question and for the reimbursement of these monies.

“The Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle met last night and censured all those involved.

“Last night I accepted the resignation of Senator Elisha McCallion.

“She accepts full responsibility for the failure to return the grant immediately.

“The party also accepted the resignation of the party official in West Tyrone who had responsibility for the administration of the account and failed to promptly return the grant money despite being requested to do so by Maolíosa McHugh MLA.

“The Cathaoirleach (Chairperson) of the Upper Bann Comhairle Ceantair (Constituency Organisation) has also tendered his resignation in recognition of their failure to return the grant payment in a timely fashion.

“The Small Business Grant scheme was established to support struggling businesses in times of extraordinary hardship.

“The failure to immediately return grants erroneously paid into Sinn Féin accounts is a most serious situation.

“As party leader I wish to acknowledge and apologise for these failures.”

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