Sinn Féin’s deputy leader was at the same event as sex offender Michael McMonagle but failed to tell his new employers about a police probe into the former party press officer’s activities.
Michelle O’Neill met Dáithí Mac Gabhann and his family at Stormont in February last year alongside representatives of the British Heart Foundation.
The Sinn Féin deputy leader is pictured greeting the family outside Parliament Buildings, with the former party press officer a matter of yards away in the background holding a banner supporting ‘Daithí’s Law’.
He had been suspended by Sinn Féin nine months previous in June 2022 after the party learned of a police investigation into his activities.
Last month, McMonagle, from Limewood Street in Derry, admitted a series of sex offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
It emerged at the weekend that Sinn Féin press officers Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley had resigned after a party investigation established that they had both provided unauthorised job references to the British Heart Foundation on their former colleague’s behalf.
Eight days after the Stormont event, McMonagle was at Westminster in London, again with the Mac Gabhann family, to mark the passing of the organ donation opt-out legislation.
The British Heart Foundation X account later posted a video from the Westminster event, which included footage of Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey.
The West Belfast MP posted his own picture with the Mac Gabhann family inside Westminster alongside his party colleague John Finucane.
Questions remain about why Sinn Féin failed to notify McMonagle’s new employer about the police probe.
Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole said Sinn Féin’s swift action in suspending the former press officer meant “they recognised the seriousness of the situation in 2021″.
“It seems reasonable to assume that at least some members of the Sinn Féin leadership knew why this staff member had been suspended,” he said.
“His subsequent employment with the BHF involved his presence at high profile campaign events in both Stormont and Westminster in 2023, attended by senior Sinn Féin politicians, so it is also reasonable to assume that members of the party leadership knew that he had been re-employed by a charity after his arrest and suspension by Sinn Féin.”
The South Belfast MLA challenged Sinn Féin on whether a senior party representative “sought to ensure that the charity in question understood the reason for Mr McMonagle’s suspension”.
“Those are basic but serious questions which have not been answered.”
Sinn Féin has not responded to requests for comment from The Irish News, but Economy Minister Conor Murphy defended Sinn Féin’s handling of the McMonagle case in an interview with the BBC.
Mr Murphy said it was “inexplicable” the references were provided and that Sinn Féin only became aware of it on Wednesday of last week.
Mr Murphy was also asked why Sinn Féin did not raise issues with the British Heart Foundation about McMonagle’s new employment.
He said: “When we suspended him and he ended his engagement with us. That matter then, until the point that he was charged, is a matter for the police.
“We have no involvement, it is not our job to do the investigation.
“To do anything in relation to that could potentially be prejudicial.
“It is up to the police to gather sufficient evidence to decide to charge him.”
Máirtín Mac Gabhann, who spearheaded the campaign for organ donation opt-out legislation, said McMonagle had “no role in the success of our campaign”.
“Our focus remains solely on helping our son get the heart he urgently needs,” he said.
“Dáithí‘s story is not relevant to this matter.”
