Cahill wants inquiry into SF sex abuse ‘cover-up’

The woman at the centre of claims that Sinn Féin and the provisional IRA covered up sexual assaults, and moved abusers over the border to avoid detection, has called for a statutory inquiry into the scandal.

Maíria Cahill said the move was needed to highlight the extent of abuse within the republican movement, adding she has already spoken with political parties supportive of the measure.

Ms Cahill, who has been at the centre of a high-profile debate over the issue since a BBC Spotlight investigation last month, said “something needs to be put in place to realise the scale” of what happened.