PSNI informed after Assembly publishes McMonagle review

A review has been published by officials at Stormont into what convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle was paid from the public purse while working for Sinn Féin politicians.

It found that he claimed for up to 80 hours per week over a three month period in what the report suggests may have been "a misuse of public money".

McMonagle - who was jailed last year for child sex offences - had worked as a Sinn Fein press officer while also being employed by Michelle O'Neill and a Sinn Fein MP.

The matter has now been passed on to police, who say they have received the report and enquires are ongoing.

His salary working for MLAs was paid for by assembly allowances provided from the public purse.

Sinn Féin "ought to have known" that McMonagle was contracted to work for about 80 hours a week, but the report found that O'Neill was "unlikely" to have been aware of his employment contracts at that time.

The other politician McMonagle worked for was Sinn Féin MP Orthlaith Begley.

He later quit working for O'Neill and Begley and was employed by Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Jemma Dolan.

The head of the assembly's legal services Jonathan McMillen - who carried out the review - concluded that it was "more likely than not that Mr McMonagle set out to deceive and that neither Ms Begley or Ms O'Neill were aware of this".

The report states that the likely "misrepresentation of his employments by Mr McMonagle may have resulted in a misuse of public money" and that the PSNI has been notified.

It also highlights the fact that much of this period was during the start of Covid lockdown with its related pressures and large burden of work on Ms O'Neill as deputy first minister.

McMonagle, from Limewood Street in Londonderry, was jailed last year after being found guilty of a series of offences, including attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He had already been placed on the sexual offenders' register after an earlier court appearance when he pleaded guilty to 14 charges.

They relate to various dates between May 2020 and August 2021.

McMonagle was paid out of O'Neill's staffing allowance between March and May 2020, at a time when she was Stormont deputy First Minister.

Parties can hire staff from Assembly funds provided to them centrally, or individual MLAs can hire them from their own staffing allowances.

The review also identified a number of recommendations to the assembly's chief clerk/chief executive.

They include:

• Employees engaged in party activity should keep records of that activity and the employing member should keep a record of the hours involved
• Members should provide details of employees who hold other employment remunerated from public money.
• The annual declaration of compliance prepared by members should make specific provision regarding members' employees.
• Job description should be introduced for members' employees to more clearly outline activities which benefit the member and activities which directly benefit the political party.

Sinn Féin Chief Whip in the sssembly Sinéad Ennis MLA welcomed the completion of the report on the review.

In a statement she said the reports contains "some positive recommendations which could further improve processes and provide greater clarity for members in employing support staff".

"It is essential that the use of public money is fully accountable, properly scrutinised and that processes in relation to the use of public funds are open and transparent," she added.

DUP MLA Phillip Brett said the report found a "clear breach of assembly rules".

"Public trust in these institutions is something that all members should strive to achieve," he said.

"The report concludes that Mr McMonagle was employed for up to 80 hours per week at public cost - in clear breach of assembly rules."

He called for the report to be discussed in the chamber "so that members can have their say and ensure that public trust, truth and transparency is at the heart of this assembly".

Meanwhile, SDLP Chief Whip Colin McGrath said the review showed "lear inconsistencies around the working practices of Sinn Féin staffers".

"This situation has undermined public trust and raised questions around the use of public funds," he added.

"The SDLP will be pressing for the recommended changes from the review to be implemented as soon as possible to ensure that nobody can exploit the system in future."