Ireland ‘duped’ by Sinn Féin record on scandals, Taoiseach says
Taoiseach Simon Harris (Niall Carson/PA)
Sinn Féin “duped” Ireland’s public and parliament, the Taoiseach has said as he called for more clarity on a series of scandals dogging the party.
It comes as pressure increases on Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald to steer her party through several controversies that have arisen in recent weeks, culminating in her giving a statement to the Dáil on Tuesday afternoon.
These include Sinn Féin members providing references to a former press officer under investigation for child sex crimes; a party senator who sent allegedly inappropriate texts to a minor; and the resignation of a Sinn Féin TD following a “serious” complaint against him.
Simon Harris said there are “still unanswered questions and a need for more clarity” from Ms McDonald on a number of issues.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Mr Harris said the Government and opposition parties are “concerned” with Sinn Féin’s account of events.
However, he insisted that the Sinn Féin scandal is “not a factor of my consideration” in calling a general election.
Mr Harris said: “It’s for Deputy McDonald to decide what she wishes to do next in terms of further information that she wishes to provide.
“It’s clear the Oireachtas and the people of Ireland were duped, that much is clear.”
He added: “How the leader of Sinn Féin wishes to respond to that is for her, and ultimately how the people of Ireland wish to respond to Sinn Féin will be a matter for them to consider in due course.”
At issue is Sinn Féin’s decision not to inform the Oireachtas, about the exact circumstances of former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile’s resignation.
While the initial reason cited was health concerns, it later emerged that Mr Ó Donnghaile had been removed from the party after sending allegedly inappropriate text messages to a teenager.
Ms McDonald said the party had not disclosed the full details over concerns for his mental health and safety.
Earlier, a row between a former Sinn Féin TD and the party deepened as Brian Stanley levelled the accusation that Ms McDonald had “abused Dáil privilege”.
The Laois-Offaly TD accused Ms McDonald of “a desperate attempt to shift the focus from her own party’s practices” on how it handled a complaint made against him.
At the weekend, Mr Stanley resigned from the party and said he would run as an independent after a Sinn Féin internal inquiry into a complaint against him.
The party referred that complaint and a “serious” counter-allegation to gardaí on Sunday.
Ms McDonald said the complainant against Mr Stanley was left “traumatised and distressed” by his actions.
However, Mr Stanley said that there was an attempt to damage his reputation and “shift the spotlight off” Sinn Féin.
“What was also revealing from her (Mary Lou McDonald’s) statement in the Dail, is the level of double standards that now operate and pertain in Sinn Féin,” he said.
Ms McDonald also addressed several other controversies that have embroiled the party in recent weeks.
This included former Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle, 42, from Limewood Street, Derry, admitting to a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
It then emerged that two other press officers, who have since resigned from the party, provided job references for McMonagle after the party suspended him amid police inquiries.
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