Policing and the administration of justice are major issues for Sinn Féin, Mr Gerry Kelly told the ardfheis. "They are as important as the Good Friday agreement itself," the party's policing spokesman said
He claimed Sinn Féin had brought the British government "slowly but surely back towards Patten".
"We have put the issue of transfer of policing and justice at the centre of the political agenda. That is, policing under local democratic control to be shaped as a community service and not a tool of oppression and sectarianism."
The party's chief negotiator, Mr Martin McGuinness, insisted talks with the two governments are continuing, despite denials from London and Dublin. "Despite the claims by some that the negotiations are closed, there is no deal done," he said.
Mr McGuinness outlined details of the talks among the parties and with the two governments since Stormont was suspended last October.
He said these drawn-out discussions were aimed at "achieving a plan for the full implementation of the agreement and to counter any attempts to filter this implementation through a unionist prism".
He said that while Sinn Féin efforts were centred on inclusivity, equality and the democratic imperative, "there are those whose sole focus has remained the exclusion of Sinn Féin from ministerial office, from government and from the political institutions".
Despite this, he claimed progress had been made on policing, justice, human rights, equality and the Irish language.
On policing, he said the party had stuck to the imperative that any police service had to be democratically accountable and representative.
He detailed what he said were commitments to legislative changes to policing structures, progress on the issues of "on the run" fugitives (OTRs), to the creation of a "human rights ethos", the transfer of powers to Stormont from London and new arrangements for the operation of the DPP service.
Mr McGuinness said he expected new momentum on a Bill of Rights and increased powers for the Equality Commission and the Human Rights Commission. He also demanded progress on eliminating the Catholic/Protestant unemployment differential and economic regeneration for areas of greatest need.
"We do not have an acceptable policing service or a representative criminal justice system," he told the ardfheis.
"We certainly do not have equality and no-one is going to give it to us. This party will have to fight for this issue every day. We intend to continue to be an engine for change in all these areas. It was particularly disappointing to hear the Irish Government assert that there should be no more negotiations on these issues."
He concluded: "So we will continue to negotiate. We will continue to fulfil our political mandate to deliver radical and progressive change."