Gerry Adams uses ard fheis speech to criticise Micheál Martin and Fianna Fáil

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams used his speech at Sinn Fein’s ard fheis at the weekend to launch a critique, not against the caretaker government, but against Fianna Fáil and Micheál Martin.

His party’s ambitions are to grow and be the largest in opposition, to take in the disillusioned voters who abandoned Labour and to wait in the long grass for a chance in government.

Fianna Fáil’s intention to prop up a Fine Gael minority government is Sinn Fein’s opportunity. Mr Adams told his audience at Dublin’s Convention Centre that Mr Martin would “prefer to put them [Fine Gael] back in government as part of his effort to counter the growth of Sinn Féin.”