A party and a leader happy in opposition ... for now

Gerry Adams says he is not “mesmerised” by getting into power, but that his party does “of course” want to be in Government in the South.

And while he would “consider” any offer from Fianna Fáil to form a coalition after the next election, his “personal position” is that the party should not do so.

So has Sinn Féin decided what it wants yet? “We do have a definite position,” Mr Adams insisted to reporters at his party’s conference in Mayo at the weekend. But he wasn’t giving much away on what that position is.