Sinn Féin press officers resign over McMonagle references

Michael McMonagle pleaded guilty in September to a series of child sex offences

Two Sinn Féin press officers have resigned after providing references for a former colleague who was later convicted of sex offences.

Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley quit at the weekend just days after it emerged the pair had given references for former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle for a job at a charity.

Earlier this month, McMonagle, from Limewood Street in Londonderry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Sinn Féin say the references were provided without clearance from the party and described their actions as wrong and unacceptable.

According to Sinn Féin, the work references were provided three months after McMonagle was dismissed from the party while under police investigation.

“The references were not provided by or on behalf of Sinn Féin," a party spokesperson said.

“Permission was not sought, nor would it have been given, from the party for the provision of these references or their content."

The party said it only became aware of the references last week and launched an internal process.

“Before this process concluded, both press officers resigned from their positions and party membership with immediate effect," the spokesperson added.

There has been no comment from Seán Mag Uidhir or Caolán McGinley.

Former republican prisoner, Seán Mag Uidhir, had been a senior figure within the party and previously worked for the Republican newspaper An Phoblacht.

'Questions for Sinn Féin'

McMonagle was first arrested in August 2021 - he informed the party and was suspended from his job as a press officer at Stormont.

In September 2022, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley provided references for McMonagle for a job with the British Heart Foundation.

The references described McMonagle's work at Sinn Féin.

He pleaded guilty to the child sexual offences in court last week and is due to be sentenced in November.

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) assembly member Matthew O'Toole, leader of the opposition in the Stormont assembly, said there were "questions for Sinn Féin to answer about what was known about the process by which references were provided".

"I think it is important to know whether they made what they knew about Mr McMonagle's circumstances known to his new employers," he told BBC News NI.

"Clearly he was suspended from employment with Sinn Féin, so it was known that he had been arrested and that he was facing very serious charges.

"It is really important that we understand whether Sinn Féin, and senior leaders within Sinn Féin, were aware of that when he went on to work for his new employers."

"So I think it is important that they make clear what was known and when, and what was said, or not said."