Sinn Féin facing balancing act for the future

There is never a right time to go. But, surrounded by his loyal supporters, Gerry Adams is tonight expected to announced he will stand aside as president of an organisation he has led for more than half of his 69 years, writes Elaine Loughlin.

Whether he decides to lay out the exact wheres and whens of his departure remains to be seen, but the party has been working on a 10-year plan and a changing of the guard is a significant part of this overhaul.

The party is certainly at a crossroads, and that was clear at the ard fheis last night when members, who up until very recently would have been militantly opposed to any deal with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, opened the door on going into government with these two parties after the next general election.