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PeopleTranscript
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.