Government to demand Dáil statements from Sinn Féin on McMonagle controversy

Some in government have said that they do not believe that the Government using its Dáil majority to demand answers of the opposition is 'a good precedent'

Michael McMonagle last month pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and 12 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child between 2020 and 2021. File photo: PA

The Government looks set to demand statements from Sinn Féin in the Dáil on child safety, despite some disquiet in the coalition.

Government TDs have been seeking the opposition party to make statements in relation to the revelation that two members of its press office gave former press officer Michael McMonagle references following his arrest.

Mr McMonagle, from Limewood St, Derry, last month pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and 12 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child between 2020 and 2021.

While Mr McMonagle’s employment with Sinn Féin was suspended and subsequently terminated after his arrest in 2021, he received references from two former colleagues for a job with the British Heart Foundation.

Government sources said that an addition to next week's Dáil schedule which would see each party make statements on child protection is still "very much on the agenda", but some in government have said that they feel the move could "backfire" politically, given that members of government parties have given references in criminal cases. 

Others have said that they do not believe that the Government using its Dáil majority to demand answers of the opposition is "a good precedent". The statements are due to be supported by a number of opposition parties, including Labour and the Social Democrats.

Labour whip Duncan Smith said that while his party would support statements on child protection, there were questions for the Government parties on their scheduling of the matter.

"It is vitally important that Sinn Féin have serious questions answer here but from a scheduling perspective, it seems an effort by Government to have a no confidence motion in an opposition party, which would be a novel way to bring on a General Election,” Mr Smith said.

On Tuesday, Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton proposed holding a further meeting of the Dáil’s business committee to schedule statements on the controversy. However, this meeting was not convened and any plan to hold statements is being pushed back until next week.

When statements were proposed, Ms McDonald said that it was in the “gift” of the Government to decide. The Sinn Féin leader said that her party took “swift action” in responding to the McMonagle references controversy.

She added that if statements are held, the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Green Party leader would need to “make clear what sanctions they have adopted in cases in which very senior members of their parties have written character references for convicted rapists and child abusers”.