Sinn Féin MLA's son accused of damaging mayor portrait

The portrait of former Belfast lord mayor Lord Browne was back on display in December 2024

A Stormont committee has heard claims that Sinn Féin assembly member Carál Ní Chuilín's son may have been involved in damage to a former Belfast lord mayor's portrait.

The allegation was raised during a meeting of the Executive Office scrutiny committee by Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) assembly member Timothy Gaston.

He said Ní Chuilín's son Naoise "has been named on social media as being involved in the damage" of the painting of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) peer Lord Wallace Browne.

Ní Chuilín said she had "absolutely nothing to declare," adding: "I actually don't think it's in the remit of this committee at all".

The painting was damaged in Belfast City Hall in October last year, with police investigating the incident as a hate crime.

A Sinn Féin employee at Stormont had resigned over the incident.

But on Monday, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) said there was no reasonable prospect of conviction as "key gaps remained" in the available evidence.

At Stormont on Tuesday, it was claimed the person who "attacked" the portrait was the son of a Sinn Féin assembly member.

DUP assembly member (MLA) Phillip Brett, speaking in the chamber, said there was an "attempt here by Sinn Féin to cover up the fact".

'I've nothing to declare'

Carál Ní Chuilín said she did not believe the matter raised by Gaston was "in the remit" of the committee

Gaston raised the issue on Wednesday during a discussion on declarations of interest.

He asked if Ní Chuilín "wants to make a declaration of interest at this stage".

The TUV MLA said this was "regarding her son has been named on social media as being involved in the damage of that portrait".

"If there's anybody who wants to declare anything, now's the time to do it," he added.

In response, Ní Chuilín said: "I've nothing to declare, absolutely nothing to declare."

She pointed to how members were at the committee to discuss redress measures for victims of institutional abuse.

"I am here to scrutinise in front of us today draft legislation affecting victims and survivors, and that's what I'm here to do today, and I have no interest to declare at all on behalf of myself or anyone else," she added.

Ní Chuilín said she did not believe the matter raised by Gaston was "in the remit of this committee at all".

"Others have chosen to add this issue on, which has got absolutely nothing to do with victims and survivors of institutional abuse through the mother and babies scandal," she said.