Former Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile retained his pass to the Oireachtas for months after he was suspended by the party and before finally resigning from his seat and position as party leader in the chamber.
The Oireachtas was not informed of any details around the real reason for his resignation until this week.
Sinn Féin was first made aware of the allegation that the Belfast man and former city mayor sent an inappropriate to a 17-year-old male member of the party from the north on September 11.
Mr Ó Donnghaile was suspended from the party the following day while the PSNI and social services were also notified. The PSNI reported back to the party there was no illegality around the sending of the message and a second to an adult male.
On October 5, Ó Donnghaile met with the chairs of both the party and Belfast, along with the chief whip, and was told his actions were not acceptable. He indicated then his intention to resign.
However, in the months following his suspension, Mr Ó Donnghaile retained his Oireachtas pass, until at least December 21 last year when he announced his resignation.
While there is no comparison between the actions of the former senator and the one time Sinn Féin press officer, Michael McMonagle, a now convicted sex offender, it also emerged the latter retained his pass to Stormont way past his suspension date.
McMonagle was suspended after his arrest in August, 2021, but retained his pass until July, 2022, when he left the party ahead of joining the British Heart Foundation two months later.
The Assembly was not aware of his suspension and definitely not the reasons for it happening.