[ad_1]
Sinn Féin MLA Catherine Kelly has become the fourth party member to resign due to a delay in the refund of Covid-19 aid cash issued in error.
The West Tyrone MLA submitted its resignation to party leader Mary Lou McDonald on Saturday afternoon.
Ms. McDonald acknowledged and apologized “once again” for the “clear lack of immediate refund of public money.”
Kelly’s resignation comes after three party activists, including Foyle’s former MP Elisha McCallion, and officials from Upper Bann and West Tyrone resigned.
Ms. McDonald described Ms. Kelly’s “failure” to return the Covid-19 grant as “unacceptable.”
“Catherine is a signatory to an account into which a £ 10,000 small business grant was mistakenly deposited,” said the Sinn Féin president.
“The grant was unsolicited and has been fully repaid. Failure to repay the grant immediately is unacceptable. Catherine fully accepts that she did not fulfill her duties as a public representative in this regard. “
McDonald said the incorrect filing of small business grants in three Sinn Féin accounts had caught the attention of party leaders on Monday and Tuesday.
“The party’s examination of this matter is now complete,” he said.
“As a leader, I once again acknowledge and apologize for the clear failure to immediately refund public money.”
In a statement, Ms Kelly apologized “unreservedly” to the party and the public.
He said the party had “properly intervened” in connection with “the failure to immediately return money that had been improperly paid into a party account in West Tyrone.”
“I have been a signatory to that account for several years and, as such, had a responsibility to ensure that it operated to the highest level. That did not happen in this case, ”added Ms. Kelly.
“I believe that as a public representative this is not acceptable and that is why I have submitted my resignation as a member of the Assembly with immediate effect.
“I unreservedly apologize to the party, to those who vote for us and to the general public.”
When asked about the matter at the Executive’s press conference on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill said the decision not to return Covid-19 relief funds was “wrong” and should not have happened.
The DUP is investigating whether a landlord who rents an election office from received Covid relief cash intended for distressed businesses.
If so, this would violate the eligibility requirements of the Small Business Support Grant Program.
The MP and MLA constituency offices cannot apply for the scheme announced by Finance Minister Diane Dodds earlier this year.
Prime Minister Arlene Foster said that no member of the DUP has received the grant, adding that the party ensured that none of the party’s offices received the grant.
He said the scheme was designed not to benefit politicians.
The payments were reported on BBC Radio Ulster’s Stephen Nolan Show on Wednesday.
The report said that the West Tyrone MLA Maoliosa McHugh office was one of three Sinn Féin accounts that received payment.
McHugh told the show that he had contacted party officials to arrange to return the money “a long time ago,” adding that he received confirmation earlier this week that it had been reimbursed.
The Assembly Standards Commissioner has been asked to investigate.
Under the plan, a payment of £ 10,000 was automatically sent to any business that received the small business fee relief.
The department said 24,700 grants were paid under the scheme. Of those, 2 percent (452) may not have been eligible.
Since then, he has recovered 70 of those payments and work is underway to recover all ineligible payments. – PA
[ad_2]