THE teenager at the centre of the Niall O’Donnghaile texts controversy has called on Sinn Féin to apologise to him over their handling of the case.
In a statement the now 17-year-old also hit out at party leader Mary Lou McDonald for her “glowing tribute” to the Belfast-born senator when he stepped down last December saying it “felt like a mental stab.”
“I had to silently endure watching Niall stood down for ‘health reasons’ when I knew the truth,” he said.
“If anything could make the situation worse, Mary Lou McDonald’s glowing tribute to Niall felt like a mental stab.
“All this demonstrates the hypocrisy of Sinn Féin and their failure to protect me and others in line with child protection policies.”
The teenager described the messages sent to him by the former senator as “astonishingly uncomfortable” and that he emphasised this when reporting to members of Ógra Shinn Fein who were aged in the early to mid twenties.
Sinn Féin said the leadership was made aware of the messages in September, 2023. Mr Ó Donnghaile announced his resignation in December and formally left the senate in January this year.
“In the Spring of 2023, I reported an incident to my peers in Ógra Shinn Féin, who were aged in their early and mid twenties, regarding what were inappropriate messages sent to me by Niall Ó Donnghaile,” the teenager wrote in a statement published on Sunday.
“I have to confess I had to silently endure watching Niall in his senior role for months after I had made my concerns known to the party - most importantly throughout the months of September to December 2023.
“This was painful and frustrating. It mentally impacted me and at times brought me to dark spaces, at a time when I was supposed to be enjoying starting sixth form and living a normal teenage life. Words: 602Characters: 3441Lines: 29Inches: 4.143 Text size: Small Medium
“I lost essential and precious time in my teenage life and, for that, I believe Mary Lou McDonald owes me and those affected by this disastrous handling of the situation a direct and sincere apology.”
The now 17-year-old told the party he wanted it all to stop but “this situation will never stop - truly stop at all, in my mind - unless an apology is given”.
Ms McDonald previously said the PSNI told the party the teenager was content with the actions taken by the party.
The party leader in a statement to the Sunday Independent said she apologised for any hurt her words caused the teenager.
“All child protection protocols were followed with an immediate referral to the PSNI and social services. The protection of the young person was our primary concern,” Ms McDonald said, adding that she was “deeply sorry and angry that this young person had to endure this inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour”.
The teenager said his first contact with Mr Ó Donnghaile was in the early 2023 when he liked posts on his Instagram account. By spring this had “escalated” to inappropriate messages the boy knew were wrong.
He was “originally fearful” of reporting the messages to the central party “as the safety culture was visibly not present”. Later in the spring he “signposted this to the party” to prevent other young members potentially being placed in the same position.
“It’s not normal for any anyone of any age to experience uncomfortable text messages, reinforced by a titanic power dynamic that made me feel as if I had no chance of having my voice heard,” he said.
One peer in the party’s youth wing warned him that “Niall is way up here and you’re down here. It could backfire on you”.