Sinn Féin knew of McMonagle references last year, says charity

The British Heart Foundation has said it told a elder Sinn Féin authoritative that 2 of its property officers had provided references for Michael McMonagle successful August 2023.

The foundation employed the erstwhile Sinn Féin property officer, who was nether probe for kid enactment offences, successful September 2022 aft neither notation "raised a interest astir his suitability for employment".

This contradicts what Sinn Féin curate Conor Murphy told BBC News NI, that the archetypal clip the enactment became alert of the references was past Wednesday pursuing a media query.

Questions person been mounting connected Sinn Féin this week implicit their handling of the case.

On Tuesday, Stormont’s Economy Minister Conor Murphy said it was “inexplicable” the references were provided and Sinn Féin lone became alert of it past Wednesday.

“No 1 was informed, nary support was sought, nary proposal was sought successful narration to dealing with it,” helium told BBC News NI.

On Saturday, Sinn Féin lawman person Michelle O'Neill said: “On Wednesday 25 September 2024, Sinn Féin and I were informed that 2 property officers, who were erstwhile colleagues of Michael McMonagle, had provided employment references for him.

"I americium perfectly appalled and horrified that this occurred. These references were fixed without the cognition oregon authorisation of the party. Under nary circumstances would the enactment supply a reference, for enactment oregon otherwise, for Michael McMonagle."

Charity caput Fearghal McKinney said Michelle O'Neill has "expressed regret" astir questioning the charity's owed diligence.

The First Minister spoke to Mr McKinney successful a telephone telephone connected Saturday.

"“Michelle O’Neill agreed caller comments by her and enactment colleagues questioning the BHF’s owed diligence process were unhelpful, and she expressed regret for the harm and upset this has caused to our dedicated unit and supporters," helium said.

A spokesperson from the British Heart Foundation said it has "robust recruitment and safeguarding processes".

Mr McMonagle had worked for Sinn Féin for astir 7 years, archetypal arsenic a argumentation advisor astatine Stormont and aboriginal arsenic a property serviceman successful the North West until his apprehension successful 2021, aft which his employment with the enactment ended.

He was past employed by the British Heart Foundation foundation a twelvemonth later, having received references from 2 different erstwhile Sinn Féin property officers.

The references, provided by Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, raised nary "concern astir his suitability for employment oregon referenced an ongoing constabulary probe oregon suspension from his erstwhile employment", according to the charity.

Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley aboriginal resigned after it emerged that they had provided the references without clearance from the party, who condemned their actions.

In September, McMonagle, of Limewood Street successful Londonderry, admitted to a bid of kid enactment offences.

The offences subordinate to assorted dates betwixt May 2020 and August 2021, and see charges of attempting to incite 2 children to prosecute successful intersexual activity..

In a statement, the foundation said it was “made alert of the apprehension of and consequent transgression charges against the idiosyncratic by a media query connected Saturday 29th July 2023 and we suspended him arsenic soon arsenic imaginable connected Monday 31st July 2023”.