A portrait of former Belfast Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile will be removed from Belfast City Hall, following revelations he quit Sinn Féin after sending inappropriate texts to a teenage boy. Party group leaders on Belfast City Council agreed the move unanimously, it is understood.

Sinn Féin has backed the removal of former Belfast lord mayor and disgraced senator Niall Ó Donnghaile’s portrait from Belfast City Hall.

It comes after former Lord Mayor Niall O Donnghaile quit Sinn Fein after allegedly sending inappropriate texts to a teenager.

Senator resigned from Sinn Féin last year amid investigation into complaints of inappropriate texts to teenager

Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O’Neill has said she thinks it is "appropriate" that a portrait of former Belfast Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile is removed from City Hall. It comes after a motion at the council brought by the DUP following Mr Ó Donnghaile’s admission he left Sinn Fein after allegedly sending inappropriate text messages to a teenager.

A Lord Mayoral portrait of former Sinn Féin councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile is to be removed from Belfast City Hall after a request from the DUP. Mr Ó Donnghaile admitted to sending “inappropriate” messages to a teenager last year in the latest in a series of safeguarding scandals which have embroiled the party in recent weeks.

Political parties call for portrait of former Lord Mayor Niall Ó Donnghaile to be removed from City Hall

Mr Ó Donnghaile stepped down from the Irish senate (Seanad) in December 2023, citing health reasons. But on Tuesday, it emerged he had been suspended by the party months earlier,

It comes after former Lord Mayor Niall O Donnghaile quit Sinn Fein after allegedly sending inappropriate texts to a teenager.