Work on the Sinn Féin review triggered by a series of internal safeguarding scandals last autumn is “very considerably advanced”, party leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.
The party has previously said the report would be published before Christmas.
Ms McDonald said she would meet Sinn Féin general secretary Sam Baker later this week “to get an update” on the piece of work she commissioned in the aftermath of a series of controversies, regarding allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving party members and elected representatives.
The “complete overhaul” of the Sinn Féin’s governance procedures was ordered in October.
Speaking at Parliament Buildings on Monday, Ms McDonald told The Irish News the Republic’s November 29 general election and Christmas break “intervened” in regards to completing the review as originally scheduled.
“The work is very considerably advanced,” the Sinn Féin leader said.
“It has involved a very comprehensive review of our human resources procedures, practices and our handbook; a review of safeguarding policy; and an overall review of corporate governance.”
She stressed it was “not just a matter of just receiving a report”.
“There will be actions arising from that whole process – it’s been a very thorough, very exhaustive and actually a very useful process,” she said.
Ms McDonald said the completed review would be shared with the media and that she would be “happy to discuss the outcomes from it and the consequences of it”.
The review was commissioned in response to scandals relating to former press officer Michael McMonagle, who was convicted of child sex offences, and former senator Niall Ó Donnghaile, who quit the party after sending inappropriate texts to a teenager.
There were also allegations of sexual harassment against Brian Stanley, a former Sinn Féin TD who was re-elected as an independent.
