Michael McMonagle: Emma Little-Pengelly says there are serious questions for Sinn Fein to answer
The deputy first minister was speaking today as the fallout over SF's ex press officer continues
Last updated 7th Oct 2024
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has urged Sinn Fein to be open and transparent in response to questions around their former employee Michael McMonagle who has admitted child sex offences.
Responding to a question from DUP MLA Peter Martin during questions for the Executive Office, Ms Little-Pengelly said there are "serious questions for Sinn Fein to answer".
"It's very clear that there are a number of questions to be answered. I can only speak in this respect in my personal capacity, but I would encourage them to do so in a very open and transparent way."
She referred to the Executive Office's involvement with investigations into historical institutional abuse and former mother and baby homes, adding that those failings were related to child safeguarding.
"That is what our primary focus must be. Lessons must be learned from that and those lessons from the findings are around openness, about candour, about honesty, about not moving the problem on to someone else. It is about taking responsibility.
"Those are all core, a huge part of that work, the reason for it, is to learn those lessons.
"There are serious questions about the current situation that have to be answered and as leaders we have to be honest and we have to be credible, and I think very many people out there will feel it has simply not been credible thus far and therefore I urge the people involved to be open and honest and credible on this matter."
said she wanted to distance herself from attempts to "put the blame on other organisations".
"I also would want to put on record that I want to distance myself from any comments in relation to trying to put the blame of this on to other organisations, particularly the charity involved in this, the British Heart Foundation," she said.
"I know the charity, they do a huge amount of good work. This is an issue where responsibility must be taken and I hope that there will be very clear openness and honesty about this issue."