Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald says she doesn't think "anyone was ever in any doubt" about journalist Roy Greenslade's political views.
She said Mr Greenslade is now a member of her party, but wasn't at the time he wrote a controversial column about Máiría Cahill.
Deputy McDonald said nobody from Sinn Féin briefed him before he wrote the article.
Mr Greenslade - who spent many years writing for The Guardian - previously wrote columns for Sinn Féin newspaper An Phoblacht under the pseudonym George King.
He also recently revealed he supported the IRA’s ‘political ambitions', although said he began to 'doubt its bombing tactics' over the years.
The Guardian recently apologised to Ms Cahill over the article Mr Greenslade wrote in 2014, saying his political position should have been disclosed.
In the column, the journalist criticised a ‘lack of balance’ in a BBC documentary in which Ms Cahill detailed her claims that she was raped by an IRA member.
Máiría Cahill has accused Mr Greenslade of attempting to question her motivations in a "pretty disgusting way".
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Deputy McDonald says it's not unusual for journalists to have a clear political leaning.
She said: “Anyone who has read Roy’s journalism over the years would have been very clear as to his political views.
“From my stance, and how I regard the media here in Ireland, lots of journalists have very clear political views.
"Literally dozens of journalists have found themselves acting as government spokespersons and advisers… in some cases even election candidates and nominees.
“That line between politics and journalism is very real… I think any demands for transparency and clarity that might be made of Roy need to be universally applied."
She said Mr Greenslade can speak for himself when it comes to questions around his journalism, and any row between him and Máiría Cahill is 'for them to sort out'.
She added: “He is now a member of Sinn Féin. I know Roy - I also would have known Roy as a journalist, and like thousands or maybe millions of others would have read his work over the years.
"I don’t think anyone was ever in any doubt about his political views."
Former Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger is currently a member of Ireland's Future of Media Commission, and there had been calls for him to step down over the Greenslade controversy.
However, earlier this week it was agreed by the Government that 'on balance' he should remain a part of it.
