Questions for Sinn Féin after more revelations

Mary Lou McDonald has accused opponents of using the controversies as a “political football”

When Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile quit last December days before Christmas, the reason given was his health.

The former Belfast lord mayor announced his resignation in a party press release, while Sinn Féin’s leader issued a statement praising his work.

Mary Lou McDonald said the Seanad (Irish senate) member had “served diligently” and she hoped he would “overcome the health challenges that he has had to deal with”.

However, we now know much more was going on behind the scenes.

Mr Ó Donnghaile had been suspended from the party months earlier for sending inappropriate texts to a teenager.

Police and social services became involved, but there were no findings of illegality and no criminal charges were pursued.

It raises questions over why Sinn Féin did not disclose this at the time.

McDonald insisted this was due to concerns for Mr Ó Donnghaile’s mental health and legal advice received by the party.

Niall Ó Donnghaile quit Sinn Féin last December

Weeks of pressure

The revelation piles further pressure on Sinn Féin, which has faced weeks of internal problems and bruising headlines.

It was forced to apologise to a charity over the handling of former Sinn Féin press officer and now convicted child sex offender Michael McMonagle.

And within the past week, two Sinn Féin members of the Dáil (Irish parliament) have resigned.

They include senior TD (member of parliament) Brian Stanley, who quit in a fall-out over an internal complaint against him.

Sinn Féin has referred the complaint and a counterclaim to gardaí (Irish police).

These controversies may have different complexities and timelines, but they all raise questions of accountability and transparency.

Sinn Féin’s political rivals will be lining up to ask who knew what and when.

And in particular, the focus will be on how Sinn Féin dealt with those issues which related to child safeguarding.

Protecting the party?

In the Dáil on Tuesday, McDonald insisted Sinn Féin takes the issue “very seriously” and its approach is “guided by the welfare of children”.

But critics will question whether Sinn Féin put protecting the party ahead of protecting children.

It is a serious allegation which Sinn Féin has been at pains to robustly reject.

McDonald accused opponents of using the issue as a “political football” and said their “hypocrisy” was “truly breathtaking".

Election on the horizon

All this comes at the worst possible time for Sinn Féin, as speculation grows that an election will soon be called in the Republic of Ireland.

The party is aiming for a place in the Irish government for the first time, but has been slipping in opinion polls.

Recent developments could lead to those poll numbers falling further.

The controversies may have dented Sinn Féin, but its place in Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government appears to remain stable.

A motion by Traditional Unionist Voice of no confidence in First Minister Michelle O’Neill, deputy leader of Sinn Féin, failed to gain any support in the Stormont Assembly.

Sinn Féin will hope McDonald setting out in full the party’s actions will help take the heat out of recent weeks.

But on both sides of the border, their political opponents will argue that many questions remain unanswered.