Timeline of Sinn Féin’s handling of safeguarding issues

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has come under pressure over the way her party has recently handled safeguarding issues.

The controversy was sparked after it was revealed that two Sinn Féin press officers had given references to a former colleague, Michael McMonagle, who was later convicted of child sex offences.

Further revelations have been made about a former Lord Mayor of Belfast, Niall Ó Donnghaile, who sent inappropriate text messages to a younger party member.

Another party member, Brian Stanley, resigned in October after a complaint against him landed him before an internal party investigation.

McDonald told the Dáil (Irish parliament) that his resignation was not linked to child protection issues, but that the allegations remained “very, very serious”.

BBC News NI examines the timeline of events.