NAMA Inquiry: Sinn Féin's Daithí McKay Resigns

Sinn Féin's Daithí McKay has resigned from his position following allegations he had provided "coaching" to loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson before he gave evidence at Stormont's NAMA inquiry.

Mr McKay has also been suspended from the party with "immediate effect".

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín said: "Daithí McKay has resigned as MLA for North Antrim with immediate effect and has been suspended from Sinn Féin. 

"His letter of resignation has been submitted to the Speaker's office."

DUP Chairman, Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley said he will be referring the matter to the PSNI.

He said: "The allegations, if proven, are of a most serious and disturbing nature and must be thoroughly investigated to bring forward the full factual situation of what occurred during this DFP Committee inquiry.

"For some time, the Democratic Unionist Party has had concerns about the nature of the inquiry, how it was conducted and the way witnesses from the Party, including the then First Minister were treated. It is clear from what is already in the public domain that what occurred is an abuse of the process and the privilege of the Committee and it was used to besmirch the good name of the then First Minister and Party Leader Rt Hon Peter Robinson MLA.

"We are now seeing what many of us believed, that this was a political dirty tricks operation against Peter Robinson.  The fact that this information is now in the public light it again demonstrates, as we already knew, that Peter Robinson was innocent of the scurrilous accusations made against him."

Ulster Unionist Leader Mike Nesbitt also called for an urgent investigation to be carried out.

Mr Nesbitt said: "Where does this start and where does it end? It demands an investigation because if the information is genuine, it begs the question - was Daithi McKay on a solo run or was it a Sinn Fein operation sanctioned from the top? Certainly the long-standing culture within Sinn Fein is one of centralised control and not of solo runs.

"We also need to know if Martin McGuinness knew about this. Who else in Sinn Fein did and who gave it the go-ahead? And what does Martin McGuinness's colleague Arlene Foster have to say about it?

"It certainly doesn't say a lot for their working relationship or the prospect of the First Ministers' working relationship, given that trust appears to be a very scarce commodity indeed."

Alliance Economy spokesperson Stephen Farry said Sinn Féin has "questions to answer".

He said: "It is clear from the evidence produced today by the media that Sinn Fein's consideration of advice to the Committee on the admissibility of Mr Bryson's evidence was politically tainted, as Sinn Fein were actively coaching him as a potential witness about the best way to get in front of the committee and place his allegations regarding Peter Robinson on the record.

"Sinn Fein has questions to answer - this story calls into question their actions then and now. While it may not have compromised the actual content of Mr Bryson's evidence, it was nevertheless a transparent attempt to manipulate the decisions of MLAs on the Committee. "

(CD)