Speaking to reporters in Dublin on Tuesday, O’Neill said that “increasingly we have lots of questions for the DUP to answer”.
The first minister claimed “lots of” people in the DUP were aware of Donaldson’s “antics and behaviour”.
“It’s very clear for us all to see that there was a culture in the DUP to turn a blind eye to actually what was happening,” she added.
“That their leader was engaged in this type of behaviour and nobody knew about it? I don’t think anybody believes that.”
O’Neill said she has spoken to her Stormont executive counterpart Little-Pengelly but added it was “for her to answer for what she knew”.
Speaking before Little-Pengelly’s statement, O’Neill said: “I find it astonishing her silence. I find it astonishing that the media aren’t asking her these questions,” she added.
The first minister also rejected suggestions of hypocrisy, as questions were posed over Sinn Féin’s handling of past controversies involving its own party.
“This isn’t about Sinn Féin,” O’Neill responded before adding: “No, Sinn Féin are not hypocrites.”
