A Belfast woman who has said she was raped by a senior member of the IRA has claimed there were a “hugely significant” number of people who were sexually abused by figures in the republican movement.

Maíria Cahill appealed this evening to Sinn Féin members who were aware that abuse happened to come forward as it was the only way in which children could be protected.

Ms Cahill, a granddaughter of former IRA leader Joe Cahill, earlier this week told the BBC Spotlight programme that she was raped by an IRA man in 1997, when she was 16. She said she was later interrogated by the IRA, which she claimed was more intent on protecting its reputation than bringing the perpetrator to justice.

"At the minute in Ireland, north and south, there are people who have been alleged to have committed serious crimes of sexual abuse, who potentially have access to other children, and those children are at great risk," she told RTÉ. "Sinn Féin knows this information, they have refused to co-operate with the police on it and they haven't brought the information forward.

“I’m appealing to members of Sinn Féin who know without a shadow of a doubt that this has happened, to soul-search, to come forward, to say that it happened, to bring the information forward because that is the only way we are going to be able to protect children on this island.”

In a statement tonight, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said anyone with information about child abuse should "come forward to the authorities north or south". He said they would have the full support of Sinn Féin.

“Ms Cahill made the claim that there are other victims who are living in fear, and perpetrators at large, who are a danger to children, as a result of how republicans dealt with these issues in the past,” he said. “No one should be living in fear and no child should be at risk.”

‘Completely ludicrous’

Ms Cahill described as “completely ludicrous” his claim that he did not know the details of her case. “Did people think we were talking about the weather?”

Ms Cahill said Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald’s assertion that nobody in the party had covered up abuse was “disgusting”.

Ms McDonald made the comment in response to a challenge from Ms Cahill for her to call for any Sinn Féin member who covered up sexual abuse to be prosecuted.

Ms Cahill said the Dublin Central TD had demanded such prosecutions for those who covered up sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

Ms McDonald told The Irish Times Ms Cahill’s description of her stance on the Catholic Church was correct and she held the same view on any organisation, including Sinn Féin, which covered up child sexual abuse.

“It’s my position that, irrespective of organisation, if they are guilty of either perpetrating abuse or covering up abuse they must face the full rigours of the law without fear or favour.

“There is nobody within Sinn Féin who has been shown to have covered up child abuse. That is clear,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms Cahill will meet Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson at Stormont on Monday.