The role secured with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) by a former Sinn Féin press officer who was being investigated by police for child sex offences did not require any safeguarding checks, the charity has said.
Michael McMonagle was employed by BHF as a communications and engagement manager three months after his contract with Sinn Féin expired.
He had been suspended by the party after it learned he was being investigated by the PSNI.
Two Sinn Féin press officers who wrote references for their former colleague resigned last a week ago following an internal investigation.
BHF has confirmed that the two referees, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, were the sole signatories on the letters.
Last month, the 42-year-old from Limewood Street in Derry, admitted a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Responding to criticism of Sinn Féin for not alerting its former press officer’s new employer about the police probe, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said BHF should have carried out “due diligence” before giving McMonagle a job.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill told the Executive Office committee on Wednesday that there were “lessons to be learned for a lot of people here in terms of due diligence of an employer who takes on an employee”.
However, the charity, which is headed by former SDLP deputy leader Fearghal McKinney has told The Irish News that McMonagle’s role did not require safeguarding checks.
“The communications and engagement manager role at the BHF does not meet the requirements for an enhanced Access NI or DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check as their work doesn’t involve working alone with children, vulnerable adults, or patients,” a spokesperson said.
BHF said it had reviewed the recruitment process for McMonagle after learning he had been charged with offences as “a matter of good practice”.
“We are confident that our recruitment process of this individual was robust and in line with standard practice,” a spokesperson said.
The charity said it could not publish the references “due to confidentiality reasons and on legal advice” but was confident the letters “gave no suggestion of anything that would make the BHF question hiring the applicant”.
