Sinn Fein ready to govern on both sides of the border

As the Northern Ireland Assembly is re-established with Sinn Féin set to share power the DUP later today, Gerry Adams announced his party's preparedness to enter government south of the border as well as north.

Speaking in Dublin during Sinn Féin's Dail election campaign, Adams said, 'Tomorrow Sinn Féin and the DUP will head up the power-sharing government in the north. In the coming weeks Sinn Féin and DUP ministers will be sitting down with Ministers in the new government in the south taking government decisions on the All-Ireland Ministerial Council. This is a hugely important development which will fundamentally change politics on this island.

Sinn Féin is ready for government, north and south. If we receive the mandate from the people, we are prepared to go into government in the south if we can agree a programme that will prioritise and deliver on the equality agenda, strong public services and Irish re-unification.'