The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been notified after officials at Stormont released a review into convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle’s use of public funds while working for Sinn Féin. The report found that McMonagle, who worked as a Sinn Fein press officer while also being employed by Michelle O’Neill and a Sinn Fein MP, claimed for up to 80 hours per week over a three-month period, which the report suggests may have been “a misuse of public money”. His salary working for MLAs was paid for by assembly allowances provided from the public purse.
Sinn Féin have responded, questioning why McMonagle was able to access funds and stating they “ought to have known” that he was contracted to work for 80 hours a week. The report found that O’Neill was “unlikely” to have been aware of his employment contracts at that time. The head of the assembly’s legal services, Jonathan McMillen, concluded that it was “more likely than not that Mr McMonagle set out to deceive and that neither Ms Begley nor 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”.
The review also made a number of recommendations for assembly’s chief clerk/executive. These include introducing a job description for members’ employees to more clearly outline activities which benefit the member and activities which directly benefit the political party; members providing details of staff who hold other employment remunerated from public money and employees engaged in party activity keeping records of that activity and the employing member keeping a record of the hours involved. The annual declaration of compliance prepared by members should also make specific provision regarding members’ employees.
Sinn Féin Chief Whip in the assembly Sinéad Ennis MLA welcomed the report stating it contains “some positive recommendations which could further improve processes and provide greater clarity for members in employing support staff”. DUP MLA Phillip Brett reacted to the report, stating the “public trust in these institutions is something that all members should strive to achieve”. 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
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