Summary

  • First Minister Michelle O’Neill appears at Stormont’s executive office committee to face questions about her party's handling of recent controversies.

  • Former Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile quit the Seanad last year claiming ill health.

  • But it emerged that he left after sending inappropriate text messages to a teenager.

  • It comes as the party battles several controversies involving former politicians and employees.

Live Reporting

Amy Stewart and Matt Fox

  1. 'We are here to look at the work of the executive'

    CaralNI Assembly

    Sinn Féin's Carál Ní Chuilín says she wants to make sure that the questions the first minister will get are in keeping with her role as first minister.

    Chair Paula Bradshaw puts on record, referring to the Good Friday Agreement that "we are here to look at the work of the executive" and that questions should be in relation to the department of which the first minister presides.

  2. 'To suggest that this was some shady meeting is totally disingenuous'

    Paula BradshawNI Assembly

    Paula Bradshaw responds to concerns from TUV committee member Timothy Gaston about a private meeting in advance with First Minister Michelle O'Neill.

    "It is very standard practice for the chair of a committee to meet with the relevant minister so there is no issue," she tells the committee.

    "To suggest that this was some shady meeting is totally disingenuous."

    She continues to explain that the meeting on Tuesday was taken in private because legal advice was being considered.

    "Usually we would take these decisions at the committee but the fact that the first minister wanted it in advance of this meeting is why it went out via the clerk this morning," she continues.

    "I take great exception with you inferring that there were procedural irregularities in relation to the meeting or the legal advice."

  3. Timothy Gaston says private meeting 'compromised' committee

    Timothy GastonNI Assembly

    TUV MLA Timothy Gaston notes that that the First Minister held a private meeting with the chairperson of the committee earlier today, Paula Bradshaw.

    Committee members received an email before this afternoon's meeting to inform them the meeting took place.

    Gaston says he responded to the email saying: "I object in the strongest possible terms to this. When did the committee agree to the chairperson meeting with the first minister privately? Why were other members of the committee not invited?

    "How anyone can have any confidence in today's meeting or what will take place there when the chairperson is granted to witness a one-to-one meeting to discuss the conduct of said meeting?"

    "What on earth is the basis for the chairperson speaking to the legal advice given that yesterday the committee agreed that the legal advice was privileged and should not be shared outside the committee."

    He claims this meeting "compromises" today's meeting.

  4. The meeting begins

    The committee meeting has begun.

    You can watch live by clicking watch at the top of this page.

  5. Watch: Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald correct the record

    'What happened to this young person was unacceptable'

    On Tuesday, in the video above, Michelle O'Neill corrected the record at Stormont regarding the age of the teenage boy who received inappropriate texts from the former Irish Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile.

    On Monday, the first minister and Sinn Féin deputy leader told the Northern Ireland Assembly that party membership files said the boy was 17 at the time. But the young person had said he was 16 years old.

    On Tuesday, O'Neill told the assembly she "fully accepted" the age and wanted to correct the information on the record.

    Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald also corrected the record officially in the Dáil (lower house of Irish parliament) on Tuesday.

    Read more.

  6. What will happen at the committee?

    Michelle O'NeillPA Images

    Michelle O'Neill was invited to come back by the Stormont Executive Office Committee members who said they had additional questions to put to her.

    The Sinn Féin deputy leader will appear without the Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) or junior ministers.

    DUP assembly member Brian Kingston, who sits on the executive committee, said there had been "many developments and revelations" since O'Neill last appeared three weeks ago, and there were questions that remained.

    Writing on social media, Little-Pengelly said it was "right and proper" for the first minister to come back before the committee.

    "It is time for truth," she added

  7. Welcome

    Michelle O'Neill stands in front of two black microphones. She is wearing her blonde hair tied back, with two strands framing her face. She is wearing red-rimmed glasses, a black blazer and a green shirt.PA Media

    Welcome to our live coverage of Stormont, where First Minister Michelle O’Neill faces questions about Sinn Féin’s recent controversies.

    The party has been facing criticism for their handling of child protection issues involving former politicians and employees.

    O’Neill will be facing the questions at Stormont’s Executive Office Committee at 14:00 BST.

    Click the play button at the top of the page to follow along.