Employment of woman jailed was 'risk' to Dáil security - Humphreys

Catherine Connolly (left) and Heather Humphreys are going head to head in the Irish presidential election

The employment of a woman who was jailed for firearms offences was "a risk" to the security of the Dáil, an Irish presidential candidate has claimed.

Heather Humphreys, who is representing Fine Gael, made the claim during a radio debate when she challenged her rival Catherine Connolly's decision to employ the woman in her Dáil office.

Connolly has defended her decision saying "no rules were broken" when she hired Ursula Ní Shionnain soon after the woman had served almost four and a half years of a six-year sentence for possession of arms and ammunition.

The independent TD, who is contesting the election with the support of left leaning parties, said the woman had "fully rehabilitated her life".

But Humphreys said there was a failure to ensure that Ms Ní Shionnain had been fully vetted by gardaí while she was being signed into the Dáil on a daily pass for six months to work in an administrative role for Connolly.

Ms Ní Shionnain was also a member of Érígí, a small socialist republican party which describes itself as working towards a new all-Ireland Republic.

She was brought before Ireland's non-jury Special Criminal Court which sits with three judges and deals with cases about paramilitary, subversive and organised crime.

Irish presidential candidate Heather Humphreys says there was a failure to ensure Ursula Ní Shionnain had been fully vetted by gardaí while she was being signed into the Dáil

Jailed in 2014

Ms Ní Shionnain was jailed in 2014 and was brought into the Dáil by Connolly in 2018.

Court records show she was charged with offences committed on 27 November 2012, at Tullybeg, Rahan, County Offaly.

The Journal news website has reported that prosecutors made the case during her trial, along with three men, that gardaí had confidential information that a stolen vehicle would be used as part of an operation by dissident republicans for a theft at a property in County Offaly.

The Special Criminal Court heard that a search of the vehicle found two handguns and a stun gun, as well as ammunition, cable ties, black pillowcases, canisters of petrol, wigs, and disguises.

Gardaí gave evidence that Ms Ní Shionnáin and one of the other defendants were wearing wigs, and all four of the accused had taken steps to conceal their physical appearances, according to the news website.

Connolly defends her actions

Irish presidential candidate Catherine Connolly said she "did everything right"

Speaking during a presidential debate on Newstalk radio, Connolly defended her actions in relation to bringing the woman into the Dáil to work.

"She served a prison sentence, she left before her term was up in the prison such was her rehabilitation record."

"I did everything right, and so did the person."

However, she was challenged by Humphreys who said the woman was brought into the Dáil "without the necessary Garda clearance for six months".

Humphreys also pointed out that the woman pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing "guns and other things" and bluntly asked Connolly, "Did you ever ask her what she was going to do with them?".

She added: "The security of the National Parliament was at risk."

"She was only out of jail, and she was brought into our National Parliament and that is a concern."

Connolly said: "This woman is an absolute success story of the prison system, a success story that we absolutely need, who fully rehabilitated her life."

She has also explained that she hired the woman after taking advice from other Irish parliamentarians who were part of a prison visiting group.

"That woman came highly recommended with very specific qualifications. Just on the risk, let me say that this woman was with me every day. I know nothing in the sense of what the concerns were from the guards (gardaí) because nobody ever communicated with me."

Connolly said: "No rules were broken, absolutely none."

She has previously said the woman was entitled to "a second chance" and that no one in a position of authority in relation to security had indicated to her (Connolly) that it was not appropriate to have the woman in the Dáil.