Gerry Adams open to meeting with Micheál Martin or Enda Kenny

Gerry Adams has left the door open to Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael by saying he will answer any calls made to him.

But the Sinn Féin leader stated that party members had ruled against going into government as the junior partner and they would be standing by that mandate.

Calling on the Dáil to remain sitting to deal with the crisis in health and housing as well as the issue of water charges, he said his party had put down four motions which should be discussed.

However, the Louth TD said he would not commit to giving up his salary when the Dáil is adjourned even as a matter of principle, claiming that he and his party members would still be working.

“It is not good enough for the Dáil to meet and then, if we believe the leaders of the two bigger parties, they are going to go off for a month or two months,” said Mr Adams.

Asked if he is willing to give up his salary until the Dáil sits again in opposition to its adjournment, Mr Adams said: “We are here to do business we will be working here, the mandate we have been given we will attempt to win support for it from the other parties we will attempt to ensure that there is space created for the Dáil to do its bus- iness even in a caretaker role.”

He also said that his party has not considered putting the option of doing a deal with either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael to grassroots members.

“Our ard fheis made it very very clear that we would not go in as junior partners with these establishment parties and we went to the electorate with that as a main plank with that in our manifesto and we received a mandate for that and we will honour that mandate,” he said.

He added that the party has “not considered” putting this issue to members at any special ard fheis.

“It’s a hypothetical question and we should always avoid answering hypothetical questions.

“We have an ard fheis, it’s on April 23 and 24, and it will deal with the matters that our members want to deal with.

“We haven’t considered that issue, you will have to write your own page without my assistance.”

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But asked if he would accept an invitation to meet from either Micheál Martin or Enda Kenny he said: “Of course I will”.

The Sinn Féin party has already met with like-minded Independent TDs, left-wing groupings, and the Right2Change movement but they now do not see themselves in government.

“We will seek to work with others of a progressive dispensation to promote and pursue policies and legislation that can have a positive impact on the lives of ordinary citizens,” said Mr Adams.

Mr Adams will be nominated for the position of taoiseach by his party when the Dáil resumes this morning.