Tánaiste Joan Burton has accused Sinn Féin of placing its own interests ahead of those of victims of sexual abuse “like the Catholic Church before it”.

In a speech to mark International Women’s Day on Sunday, the Labour leader praised Belfast woman Maíria Cahill who has claimed the Republican movement covered up her sexual abuse at the hands of a senior figure in the organisation.

Ms Burton was addressing Trócaire’s International Women’s Day conference in Maynooth, ahead of Sinn Féin’s ard fheis which gets under way in Derry on Friday evening.

“I believe Maíria Cahill. I stand with her not just as a politician, but as a woman.

“I don’t believe that members of Sinn Féin are any more likely to support or conceal abusers than anyone else is. But one thing is clear. Sinn Féin, like the Catholic Church before it, has placed its own interests ahead of the interests of the victim,” she said,

“In doing that, they have done real damage to Maíria Cahill and a real disservice to all women who are victims of violence. It is all the more distressing when women politicians who should and do know better, fail to support victims who are entitled to expect support.” Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald has repeatedly insisted there was no culture of “collusion and cover up” in Sinn Féin.

Ms Cahill was presented with the James Larkin 'Thirst for Justice Award' at the Labour Party conference recently.

She alleges she was raped by an IRA member in 1997 and forced to attend a Republican kangaroo-style court a long with her alleged abuser.

Ms Burton turned to the developing world in another section of her speech.

She said all violence against women was wrong and could not be excused by describing it as part the culture of one society or another.

“If men genuinely believe that violence against women is part of their culture, if they believe that women are part of their possessions, if they really believe that, then they are wrong and they must be challenged,” she said.

“In my book, the rights of women come ahead of any cultural or social practice or norm. Women’s rights also come ahead of any interpretation of religious texts.”

Ms Burton said she understood this was “sensitive territory” and said she had no intention of getting involved in theological debates.

“That is not my province. I have no right to tell religious people what to believe or what to think.

“My province is the law. I am a legislator and, as a legislator, I strongly believe that the laws of the land should be used to enhance the rights of women, and indeed the rights of men, and to prohibit discrimination.”