Mary-Lou apology over sex abuse case branded ‘cowardly’
MAIRIA Cahill, who was allegedly abused by a republican, has criticised an apology from Mary-Lou McDonald as ‘woeful’ and ‘cowardly’.
The SDLP councillor had demanded the apology from the Sinn Féin leader in the wake of a damning police watchdog probe into how her case was handled.
Ms Cahill was allegedly subjected to sexual abuse by republican Martin Morris, and she has claimed Sinn Féin covered up her allegations against one of its members.
Ms McDonald apologised unreservedly, but Ms Cahill criticised her statement, saying she did not go far enough.
‘I think Mary-Lou’s statement was cowardly and woeful, and that is me being kind to Mary-Lou,’ Ms Cahill said.
‘Mary-Lou McDonald has failed to admit that there was an IRA investigation into my abuse. She has failed to admit that Martin Morris was a party member and that Sinn Féin suspended him three years after the first senior Sinn Féin people became aware that I Criticisms: Máiría Cahill was being abused, and that’s what she needs to do.’
North’s police ombudsman Michael Maguire has been scathing about police failings. He noted Sinn Féin did not act when Ms Cahill originally made her allegations to senior party figures in 1997, instead waiting for three years to suspend her alleged attacker.
Ms Cahill, a grand-niece of prominent Belfast republican Joe Cahill, claimed she was sexually abused as a 16-yearold by alleged IRA member Martin Morris. Mr Morris, who denied all wrongdoing, was later acquitted of rape when the case against him collapsed in 2014. As well as Ms Cahill, there were two other alleged victims in the case.
Ms Cahill had alleged the republican movement’s response to her claims was to subject her to an IRA interrogation. She also accused Sinn Féin of engaging in a cover-up and waging a campaign to question her integrity ever since she waived her right to anonymity.
In response, Ms McDonald said Sinn Féin now had ‘robust procedures’ for mandatory reporting of abuse claims. ‘I deeply regret that these procedures were not in place at the time of Mairia Cahill’s disclosure,’ she said. ‘For this I unreservedly apologise.’
Mr Maguire blamed the PSNI, and its predecessor the RUC, for a litany of failings linked to the cases. However, the Ombudsman found no evidence that anyone had been protected from prosecution or that the PSNI investigation became subject to adverse political interference.
Ms McDonald added: ‘I have no doubt that the three women at the heart of this report have been through an ordeal. I want to commend their bravery, in particular the bravery of Mairia Cahill for waiving her anonymity.’
PSNI chief constable George Hamilton said the three women were failed by the police. ‘I apologise unequivocally for the hurt and distress caused to them and for the failures in the police investigation,’ he said.
Ms Cahill met Mr Hamilton yesterday. Afterwards, she said she was satisfied that Mr Hamilton ‘told the truth in relation to his organisation’.