A teenager who was sent inappropriate texts by the former Sinn Féin senator, Niall Ó Donnghaile, has said Mary Lou McDonald's tribute to him was "like a mental stab".
The boy, who gave his account of what happened in a letter to the Sunday Independent, said it was "painful and frustrating" watching Mr Ó Donnghaile step down in December 2023 for "health reasons".
Mr Ó Donnghaile quit Sinn Féin after sending inappropriate texts to the boy.
At the time Ms McDonald issued a statement thanking him for his service to the party.
Sinn Féin has declined to comment to the BBC about the letter.
However, the Sinn Féin leader told the Sunday Independent that she was "deeply sorry and angry that this young person had to endure this inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour".
Mr Ó Donnghaile, a former Belfast lord mayor, has admitted sending an inappropriate message to a 17-year-old boy in Northern Ireland.
The teenager told the Sunday Independent he was 16 years old at the time.
The message is believed to have been personal in nature but not sexually explicit.
Sinn Féin had also defended its decision not to reveal that Mr Ó Donnghaile was suspended from the party when he stepped down last year.
Earlier this month, Mary Lou McDonald said that that following a referral by Sinn Féin, there were no findings of illegality and no criminal charges were pursued.
But the teenager has said he "had to endure" watching Mr Ó Donnghaile in his senior role months after making a complaint to the party.
"I lost essential and precious time in my teenage life," he wrote.
The teenager told the paper his complaints were made to the party's youth wing, Ógra Sinn Féin, in Spring 2023.
He wrote: "I asked for the information to be communicated boldly to the senior party to make them aware of not only my personal concerns but also the concerns of my family".
The boy said the messages made him feel "astonishingly uncomfortable".
"I knew this was wrong immediately, but was originally fearful of reporting it to the central party as a safety culture was visibly not present."
In his account of his interactions with Mr Ó Donnghaile, the teenager said the senator would view and 'like' his Instagram stories, and that the messages he received in early 2023 were "innocent".
"At the time, I remember thinking 'wow I must be doing something well if a senator is showing me support'."
But he added that "things escalated as time went on - and by spring I was being asked inappropriate requests and questions."
"This is not a normal situation for a 16-year-old to come across.
"It's not normal for anyone at any age to experience inappropriate text messages, reinforced by a titanic power dynamic that made me feel as if I had no chance of having my voice heard".
"I believe Mary Lou McDonald owes me and those affected by the disastrous handling of the situation a direct and sincere apology."
The Party's Response
Sinn Féin has been under pressure over its handling of recent child safeguarding issues.
The party has defended its decision not to reveal that Mr Ó Donnghaile was suspended from the party when he stepped down last year.
The party has said when it got the complaint in September 2023, it followed its child protection policy, suspended Mr Ó Donnghaile, and referred them to police and the social services.
The same month, Sinn Féin said the PSNI told them it was not carrying out an investigation.
Mr Ó Donnghaile later resigned from the party.
The party has said when it got the complaint in September 2023, it followed its child protection policy, suspended Mr Ó Donnghaile, and referred them to police and the social services.
The same month, Sinn Féin said the PSNI told them it was not carrying out an investigation.
Mr Ó Donnghaile later resigned from the party.
The Impact on the Party
Sinn Féin's political rivals have been quick to criticize the party's handling of the situation, with some calling for an investigation into the party's child safeguarding procedures.
The controversy has also raised questions about the party's transparency and accountability.
The latest revelations come at a time when Sinn Féin is facing a number of challenges, including a growing sense of discontent among its members and a perception that the party is becoming increasingly centralized and authoritarian.
Moving Forward
It remains to be seen how this latest controversy will impact Sinn Féin's political prospects.
The party has a long history of overcoming adversity, and it is likely to weather this storm.
However, the scandal has undoubtedly damaged the party's reputation, and it is likely to face further scrutiny in the coming months.
The party's handling of this situation will be closely watched, and it will be interesting to see whether it can restore public confidence in its child safeguarding procedures.
