Sinn Fein adopted a position in 2003 that the national party chair must be informed of any sex abuse allegations.
The party's national child protection officer, Joe Reilly, says he believes they were the first political party to have guidelines - as well as national and regional child protection officers.
Earlier this year, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams had to defend himself against allegations that he did not do enough to bring his brother Liam Adams to justice.
[Liam] Adams was jailed for 16 years after being convicted of 10 counts of rape and gross indecency against his daughter, Aine. He continued to work with minors in youth clubs and projects until 2005 - including in Belfast and Dundalk.
Last week, Sinn Fein's environment spokesperson and TD for Laois-Offaly Brian Stanley defended the party's credibility on the issue of child abuse.
But Mr Reilly told Newstalk Lunchtime they would do things differently today.
