ALLIANCE has defended the outcome of an internal investigation following complaints from a Stormont assembly election candidate.
Schoolteacher Jackie Coade, who was Alliance's sole candidate Newry and Armagh in May's poll, quit the party last month.
She is critical of her former colleagues for not instigating disciplinary proceedings against a male colleague she accused of sexual harrassment.
Alliance has confirmed that it has engaged legal advice on the matter.
Ms Coade, who secured a 5.7 per cent vote share in May's election, said she regretted the manner in which the process concluded.
"I deeply regret that things have ended this way with Alliance – I’m speaking out in disappointment," she told the Belfast Telegraph.
"I find it galling listening to Naomi (Long) talking about gender issues when the party she leads has failed me so badly.”
The 47-year-old, who joined Alliance in 2016, said she declined a dinner invitation from an older party stalwart last year but he followed up his invite with phone calls.
Ms Coade alleged the unnamed man made uninvited sexual comments to her and later became verbally aggressive.
An Alliance spokesperson said the party took all allegations of harassment extremely seriously.
"We utterly refute any allegation to the contrary," the spokesperson said.
"Ms Coade's complaint was duly investigated in line with our disciplinary procedures, which our contemporaneous record of actions bears out."
The spokesperson said Ms Coade's resignation was "unfortunate" and that she declined an offer of meetings with party officers to discuss her concerns further.
"Alliance has a proven record of promotion and protection of women within political life, and is a leader in the fight against abuse towards women," the spokesperson said.
