A new sculpture of Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams is to go on display in Ireland’s National Wax Museum within weeks – when he selects clothes to go on the naked image.

Sculptor PJ Hegarty has been working on the product at his home outside Dublin for four months.

Hegarty has produced wax works for the museum for 30 years, including representations of presidents, prime ministers, artists and celebrities of all sorts, including criminals.

Lisa Jameson, the museum’s operations manager, hopes to have the completed wax representation of Adams on public display within weeks.

She told writer Peter Murtagh of The Irish Times that Adams has yet to supply suitable clothes to dress the mannequin that represents his body.

Hegarty said, “You can’t have a naked Gerry Adams.” Then he was reminded of the infamous Adams tweet about bouncing naked on a trampoline with his pet. That was last February when Adams, interviewed about his use of Twitter, said that, for exercise, he bounces naked with his dog on a trampoline.

Adams agreed in September to help the museum have a copy of him made for its Time Vault display which illustrates the history of Ireland from the Vikings to the peace process.

Numerous photo shots were taken of his head. Next, he was placed on a chair and was wrapped in cling film, neck to feet, with his clothes suitably protected. A viscous, grey gunge was spread all over his face.

As the gunge was being hurried on, Adams is reported to have said, “Remind me never to do this again.”

The resultant mask, a mold of the face, became the model for the sculptor to fashion a bust of Adams using traditional potter’s clay.

Hegarty said sculpting the head was hardest. “I did give him a slight smile because, although he’s a serious man, I found him relaxed and friendly. He is a peacemaker. That’s how I see him,” he added.