Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said that information provided to the Dáil last week about the age of the teenager who received inappropriate texts from former Sinn Féin Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile was incorrect – and that the young person is actually 16 years of age.
Speaking in the House on Tuesday, Ms McDonald offered a “full” apology to the teenager who had received the texts. She said it had been her understanding that the young person was aged 17 at the time, which she said was based on an application form provided when they joined Ógra Shinn Féin.
However, that is not the case, and the individual has since made it clear they were actually 16 years old. She told the House that she has written to the young person and their mother, offering a “full, unequivocal and sincere apology.”
“It was then my understanding that the young person was 17 years of age because of the information provided on his application form when he applied to join Ógra Shinn Féin. That information was wrong,” she said.
“The young person themselves have made clear that he was in fact 16 at the time. I want Ceann Comhairle to correct the Dail record to reflect that he was in fact 16 years of age when these texts were sent. I have now written to the young person and his mother, offering a full, unequivocal and sincere apology.
“What happened to this young person was wrong. Niall Ó Donnghaile’s behaviour was unacceptable, utterly inappropriate, and no young person should have experienced that.
“And I am also very sorry for the hurt that my words caused in the statement I used following his resignation. That was never, ever my intention,” the Sinn Féin leader said.
Meanwhile, in the North, First Minister Michelle O’Neill made a brief statement on the matter before leaving the Assembly chamber on Tuesday morning. She said her understanding that the teenager had been 17 years old had been “wrong.”
“Yesterday I was asked about the age of the young person who [was] sent inappropriate text messages by a Sinn Féin representative,” she told the chamber,” Ms O’Neill said.
“It was my understanding that the young person was 17 years of age, based on the information that was on his application to join the party.
“This information was wrong. Over the weekend the young person made it clear that he was in fact 16 at the time and I fully accept this.
“This morning I want to put on record that he was in fact 16 years of age when these inappropriate texts were sent.
“What happened to this young person was wrong; Niall Ó Donnghaile’s behaviour was unacceptable and entirely inappropriate and no young person should have experienced that.
“I’m absolutely so sorry for the hurt caused by the statement issued after his resignation.”
Speaking in Stormont, she also addressed the incident which took place over the weekend during which a portrait of former unionist Lord Mayor Wallace Browne was damaged. It followed an event celebrating the anniversary of Irish language group Glór na Móna at Belfast City Hall.
An employee and Sinn Féin member has admitted his role in the incident, and has now resigned from both his job and party membership as a result.
DUP MLA Phillip Brett rose to his feet, as the Deputy Leader of Sinn Fein was in the process of leaving the chamber after making her statement.
“It is disappointing that the First Minister is now walking out of the chamber,” the unionist politician said.
Mr Brett said that the “decision to desecrate” the portrait of the DUP Mayor was “absolutely disgraceful and poses many questions for Sinn Féin.
“The event on Saturday evening at which the incident took place was attended by leadership figures of that party. Did any of those leadership figures witness the incident that took place?” he asked.
“Will they be co-operating with the police during their investigation? Will they be encouraging others to co-operate with the PSNI investigation?”
The DUP member also asked for information regarding when Sinn Féin first became aware of this incident and “why only after our party raised this matter at City Hall and through the media did Sinn Féin then make a statement late last night?”
“Did the Sinn Féin employee explain the rationale for their attack? Why did they single out the portrait of a unionist Lord Mayor? Brett asked.