By Jonathan McCambridge and Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
Mary Lou McDonald has offered a “full, unequivocal” apology to the teenager sent inappropriate texts by former Sinn Féin senator Niall Ó Donnghaile.
The Sinn Féin leader also apologised for the “hurt” caused by a statement she issued paying tribute to Mr Ó Donnghaile following his resignation last year.
Last week, Ms McDonald told the Dáil that the boy in the case was 17 when the incident occurred, a claim later repeated in the Stormont Assembly by Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill.
At the weekend, the teenager told the Sunday Independent he was 16 at the time.
Addressing the Dáil on Tuesday afternoon, Ms McDonald said she had stated the boy was 17 due to information on his application form to join the party’s youth wing, Ogra Shinn Fein.
“That information was wrong,” she said during Leaders’ Questions. “The young person themselves have made clear that he was, in fact, 16 at the time. So I want to correct the Dail record to reflect that he was, in fact, 16 years of age when these texts were sent.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Ms O’Neill told the Northern Ireland Assembly she “fully accepts” that the boy was 16 when he received the texts.
Addressing MLAs, Ms O’Neill said: “Yesterday I was asked about the age of the young person who was sent inappropriate text messages by a Sinn Féin representative. It was my understanding that the young person was 17 years of age based on the information of the 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 the record that he was in fact 16 years of age when these inappropriate texts were sent.”
Ms McDonald also apologised for the “hurt” she caused by issuing a statement in December 2023 paying tribute to Mr Ó Donnghaile following his resignation.
She said in the statement that Mr Ó Donnghaile had “served diligently” and made “a valuable contribution”, adding that she hoped “he can overcome the health challenges that he has had to deal with”.
Ms McDonald said she has written to the teenager 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.
“I’m also very sorry for the hurt that my words caused in the statement that I issued following his resignation. That was never, ever my intention, and I apologise to that young person for issuing that statement.”
Sinn Féin has been battling a number of controversies in recent weeks.
Last week Mr Ó Donnghaile acknowledged he quit Sinn Féin last year after the party received complaints that he had sent inappropriate texts to a teenage party member.
Sinn Féin has said it referred the matter to the PSNI and social services immediately last September, but no criminal investigation was pursued after police deemed there had been no illegality.
Mr Ó Donnghaile stepped down from the Seanad three months after Sinn Féin had referred the issue to the authorities.
Separately, Ms O’Neill also told the Assembly that a Sinn Féin member has resigned from the party after admitting involvement in damaging the portrait of a former DUP lord mayor at Belfast City Hall.
An investigation had been launched after the official portrait of Lord Wallace Browne was damaged at the weekend.
Ms O’Neill told MLAs: “Yesterday a Sinn Féin employee who worked in the Assembly made the party chief whip aware of their involvement in an incident regarding a portrait in Belfast City Hall.
“This took place on Saturday, October 19th. The employee was immediately suspended and we notified the PSNI.
“The employee has now resigned from their employment and their party membership.”
Lord Browne’s portrait was damaged just days after a portrait of Mr Ó Donnghaile, also a former Belfast lord mayor, was removed from the City Hall.
