Timeline: Sinn Féin's handling of safeguarding issues

Former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle is one of those at the centre of the party scandal

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has come under pressure over her party's handing of recent safeguarding issues.

The controversy was sparked after it was revealed that two Sinn Féin press officers gave references for a former colleague, Michael McMonagle, who was later convicted of child sex offences.

Further revelations have emerged about a former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Niall Ó Donnghaile, who sent inappropriate text messages to a youth member of the party.

Another party member, Brian Stanley, resigned in October after a complaint against him that saw him brought before an internal party inquiry.

McDonald told the Dáil (Irish parliament) his resignation is not related to matters of child protection, but the allegations were still "very, very serious".

BBC News NI looks at the timeline of events.

August 2021

After a series of offences which took place between May 2020 and August 2021, McMonagle is arrested and suspended from his job with Sinn Féin.

June 2022

McMonagle's employment with the party is terminated.

September 2022

McMonagle gets a job with the British Heart Foundation using references provided by Sinn Féin press officers Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley.

The charity said neither had referenced the ongoing police investigation nor McMonagle's suspension from his previous employment.

Michael McMonagle (highlighted far left) attended the same event as Michelle O'Neill (in pink jacket with her back to the camera)

February 2023

McMonagle attended an event at Stormont in a professional capacity, hosted by the British Heart Foundation.

He was photographed at close proximity to Michelle O’Neill, who later denied knowing McMonagle had taken up a job with the charity.

July 2023

The charity was made aware of the criminal charges against McMonagle and suspended him.

August 2023

McMonagle appeared in court and denied three charges.

The British Heart Foundation told a senior Sinn Féin human resources official that they had received two references from the party during McMonagle's recruitment.

His position with the foundation is terminated.

September 2023

Sinn Féin receives a complaint alleging Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile sent inappropriate messages to a teenage member of the party.

Niall Ó Donnghaile is a former Lord Mayor of Belfast

The party said it followed its child protection policy, suspended the person who sent the message, and referred them to police and the social services.

The PSNI said no formal complaint was received.

December 2023

Niall Ó Donnghaile resigned from the Seanad (Irish senate), citing health reasons.

July 2024

A complainant contacted Sinn Féin about concerns regarding an incident which took place in October 2023 involving TD (MP) Brian Stanley.

August 2024

A formal complaint was made against Stanley.

Mary Lou McDonald said she and Stanley were made aware of the complaint, but she was not made aware of the specific details at the time.

She has since told the Dáil it was in relation to Stanley's personal behaviour and left the complainant feeling "traumatised and distressed".

Stanley later launched a "serious" counter-complaint against the complainant and was advised to go to An Garda Síochána (Irish police).

He declined to do so.

23 September 2024

McMonagle admits 14 out of 15 offences he is charged with, after previously denying all charges.

His sentencing is set for 8 November and he is placed on the sex offenders' register.

Michael McMonagle pictured at a previous court appearance

25 September 2024

This is the date Sinn Féin said it was first made aware of the references provided by Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley.

28 September 2024

It is reported that Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley have resigned.

1 October 2024

Sinn Féin Economy Minister Conor Murphy defends his party’s handling of the McMonagle case.

When questioned about his party not alerting the charity, he said the party had “a legal responsibility not to interfere with the police investigation”.

Conor Murphy says references provided for McMonagle were "inexplicable"

2 October 2024

First Minister Michelle O’Neill told a Stormont Committee hearing she did not know McMonagle had taken up a new job with the British Heart Foundation.

She also said she was not aware McMonagle was at the event at Parliament Buildings on 14 February 2023.

Jon Boutcher contradicted Sinn Féin claims during a Policing Board meeting

3 October 2024

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher tells a Policing Board meeting that warning a charity about a potential police investigation into McMonagle would not have prejudiced the investigation.

4 October 2024

It is revealed that a Stormont security pass held by McMonagle had only been cancelled that week.

The assembly body which controls the passes said it was not informed of McMonagle's suspension and they were not asked to suspend or cancel his pass.

5 October 2024

The British Heart Foundation released a statement in which it said it told a senior Sinn Féin official about the McMonagle references in August 2023, contradicting statements made by Murphy and O'Neill.

Charity head Fearghal McKinney said O'Neill expressed regret for comments made by her party questioning the charity’s due diligence process.

Michelle O'Neill apologised for the hurt caused by those who supplied McMonagle's references

In a separate statement, Michelle O'Neill said the contact between the charity and the party's HR department was not brought to the attention of the party's leadership at the time.

O'Neill added "for the purpose of completeness", that she had also been made aware of an "unrelated issue with an adult female colleague of Michael McMonagle at a non-work related social gathering a number of years ago".

12 October 2024

Brian Stanley resigned as a Sinn Féin TD (MP).

In a statement, the Laois TD described the party's inquiry process as "seriously flawed".

13 October 2024

It was announced that Stanley would be removed as chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.

Mary Lou McDonald confirmed that the internal process had been suspended and information had been passed on to Gardaí.

Brian Stanley resigned from Sinn Féin said he would remain a "republican TD" outside the party

14 October 2024

McDonald told Irish broadcaster RTÉ the initial complaint had not been reported to An Garda Síochána at the time because it was not of a criminal nature.

"But I am far happier that the complaint and counter allegation are now in the hands of the gardaí and they can do what they deem to be appropriate," she added.

15 October 2024

The Irish News reported that the person behind inappropriate text messages that were sent to a 17-year-old in Northern Ireland in September 2023 was former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile.

During a debate in the Dáil, Mary Lou McDonald outlined details surrounding her party's handling of the Michael McMonagle case, the allegations around Niall Ó Donnghaile and the complaint made about Brian Stanley.

20 October 2024

A teenager who was sent inappropriate texts by Ó Donnghaile told the Sunday Independent Mary Lou McDonald's tribute to him in December 2023 was "like a mental stab".

He also told the paper he was 16 years old at the time of the incident and was "originally fearful of reporting it to the central party as a safety culture was visibly not present".

In a statement, the Sinn Féin leader apologised for causing distress to the young person.

22 October 2024

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and party deputy leader Michelle O'Neill both corrected the record regarding the age of the teenage boy who received inappropriate texts from the former senator.

Speaking in the Dáil and at Stormont, both said it was their understanding that the young person was 17 based on the information he had provided in his application to join Sinn Féin.

McDonald also said she had written to the young person and his mother "offering a full, unequivocal and sincere apology".

3 November 2024

Sinn Féin announce that Belfast City Councillor JJ Magee has been suspended from the party after an allegation that inappropriate online messages were exchanged between him and a minor.

The party said the allegations were forwarded to social services and police in compliance with the party's safeguarding policy.

Magee said he denied "any allegation of inappropriate conduct".

4 November 2024

The PSNI confirmed it received a report of the allegations against Magee in June 2024 but "no criminal offences were detected".