All state funding to Scouting Ireland has been suspended until the board of directors resigns.

Minister Katherine Zappone made the decision after the board voted to re-instate chief scout Christy McCann as the chair of an upcoming emergency meeting.

Mr McCann has been reinstated ahead of the organisation's upcoming extraordinary general meeting on governance reforms.

Earlier this year, the organisation had its funding restored temporarily after it committed to implementing the recommendations of an independent review.

Funding had previously been held back after concerns over how the organisation handled an allegation of sexual assault in 2016, which was in relation to an incident which allegedly took place in 2009.

A full independent investigation of the allegation was launched, which also looked into the handling of the matter by senior members of the organisation.

Mr McCann temporarily stood down during the inquiry "in order to give adequate time to bring our investigation to a conclusion".

In June, Minister Zappone indicated that the progress Scouting Ireland had made was due be reviewed this month.

Today, she said: "I have decided to today that funding of Scouting Ireland will be suspended for as long as the current board of directors remains in place.

"I was very concerned to learn of recent events, particularly the vote taken at a board meeting on Saturday 22nd September to reinstate Chief Scout Christy McCann."