Sinn Fein: Michelle O'Neill says there are "no questions" over party leadership

Michelle O'Neill stated today (Wednesday) that there were "no questions" over Mary Lou McDonald's leadership of Sinn Fein.

It came as the party deals with a number of recent controversies.

The Sinn Fein vice president told Downtown Radio & Cool FM said that she would be "transparent and open" in answering questions about the controversies that have come to light in recent weeks.

"No there are no questions over Mary Lou McDonald's leadership," she said

"I think the Dail was the right opportunity yesterday, and Niall (O'Donnghaile) himself, he made a public statement in advance of Mary Lou going into the Dail chamber for a fuller statement."

She indicated that there were "no other" cases of party members under investigation or suspended.

"But there certainly are no other terms of other cases that we are currently engaged in, so just to be very clear about that."

Asked about whether she would give statements in the Northern Ireland Assembly on child protection issues, she said: "I've stood in front of the Assembly chamber last week. I think I took in excess of, or perhaps potentially up to, 20 questions. I'm trying to be as transparent and open and frank as I possibly can.

"I was before the Assembly committee also, so I'll continue in that vein."

However, Northern Ireland deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has described as "very grubby" the controversies surrounding Sinn Fein in recent weeks.

The DUP MLA said that information has been "trickling out" when there is a need for honesty.

"I think there are very serious questions for Sinn Fein to answer. I think the whole thing's been very grubby," she said on Wednesday.

"I think people are fed up and sick of half truths or not truths or issues trickling out.

"If there's one thing that we have learned right across Northern Ireland, and indeed right across Ireland, is this idea of cover ups or not being truthful, the lack of transparency when it comes to the safeguarding of children is deeply unacceptable.

"We are supposed to have learned the lessons from the past in terms of some of those issues, and now it is really important that everybody steps up with full transparency, absolutely honestly and transparently answers the most serious questions."

said that while "the grubbiness" of the controversies Sinn Fein has been embroiled in need to be addressed, she indicated the institutions were not at risk.

She said that First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Sinn Fein "need to step up and be absolutely transparent and honest".

"Ultimately, this isn't a crisis of the institutions. It's a crisis within Sinn Fein," the deputy First Minister said.

"Sinn Fein need to get their house in order. No organisation should be operating with a cloak of secrecy.

"We are not and nor should there be criminal organisations which have some sort of a code of silence. We need to step up and show that transparency, the grubbiness of this needs to be addressed, the serious questions need to be answered."

Asked whether Ms O'Neill should answer more questions in the Assembly chamber, she said: "I think that there are mechanisms there to hold people to account.

"I know that right across that Assembly chamber, there are many people who are seriously concerned about the issues of safeguarding of children.

"We've had a number of big inquiries in Northern Ireland. We're still working on a number of those investigations and inquiries through the Executive office, and therefore it is even more important that we do step up and show example."

She said: "I think that this issue generally has come across as grubby. It has come across as unacceptable because of the way that this information has trickled out."

Meanwhile, Paul Givan said Sinn Fein was responsible for distracting away from the work the devolved administration should be focused on.

"This issue is a distraction to what the focus of our government should be about, a very unhelpful one, and one of Sinn Fein's own making, because of the way in which they have handled this issue when it first emerged a number of weeks ago," he said.

"Every day there's a new revelation. Mary Lou MacDonald gave a statement in the Dail yesterday and other members were able to raise issues in respect of that.

"Michelle O'Neill has not given the same level of detail in terms of a statement and I think she should, I think she should come into the Assembly chamber, outline what she knew and when, and what actions have been taken, and also make herself available to the committee that scrutinises her office so that elected representatives can ask the questions that wider society is asking about this, because there cannot be any confusion in the public's minds as to how we deal with the issues around safeguarding and the protection of children.

"There has to be clear messages that you provide information to the appropriate authorities at the right time."