THE LEADER OF Sinn Féin says the party must be ready to lead the country.

The party will hold a major party conference in Dublin today which brings together many of its recently successful local government and EU candidates from across the island, as well as the party leadership.

In his keynote address, Adams will tell the party faithful that they have now become a “major player” on both sides of the border.

He also takes aim at the parties in the Republic.

“It’s time Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil stopped pretending they are different. They are not. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are conservative soul mates. They should be in government together.

For our part Sinn Féin needs to be ready for government in this state on our terms, agree our policy priorities and political platform and our commitments need to be deliverable.

“We are ambitious for change and believe we can deliver on jobs, housing and health.

“But we will not do what the Labour Party has done — we will not enter government merely to give cover to the agenda of conservative parties. That’s the old failed political system.”

Adams called for a “realignment of politics” and said the party will meet Taoiseach Enda Kenny and British Prime Minister David Cameron to discuss the North.

He accused the DUP of not ‘having the appetite for the challenge’ of dealing with the past.

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