First Minister Michelle O'Neill faces more questions over child protection issues within Sinn Fein

Watch First Minister Michelle O'Neill faces more questions over child protection issues within Sinn Fein - News Letter on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00Thank you Mr. Speaker. In the interest of transparency for victims and survivors,

00:04just last week your party leader Mary Lou Macdonald has faced calls to correct

00:09the record in the Dáil after she appears to have misled the house in

00:14relation to the age of the victim of councillor Niall, our former senator and

00:20former Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Balfast Niall O'Donoghue who was a subject of

00:24inappropriate tax. So for the purpose of clarity, can the First Minister tell the

00:30house what age was the schoolboy involved. Can I just repeat again that

00:37all child protection protocols were followed with an immediate referral to

00:41the PS&A and also to social services. The protection of the young person was

00:45absolutely our primary concern. Niall O'Donoghue was held accountable and faced

00:49serious consequences for his totally unacceptable and totally inappropriate

00:54behaviour and I'm deeply sorry and angry that this young person's had to endure

00:58any of this inappropriateness or this unacceptable behaviour. Also I can

01:03confirm that according to our records the young person was in fact 17. That's

01:07the records which we have in our files in terms of membership.

01:12Connagh Eagan

01:14Mr. Speaker, Minister, last week the Executive Office Committee issued an

01:20invitation for you to attend committee this week in regards to safeguarding and

01:24representation of victims and survivors. Will you be coming to committee this

01:27week? I'm very happy to engage the committee. I know the committee are

01:31seeking legal advice. I look forward to seeing that but I'm happy to clarify the

01:35record in terms of the questions that were put to me.