Sinn Fein does not rule out Fianna Fail approach

Sinn Féin leader Mr Gerry Adams today rejected the notion Fianna Fáil would under no circumstances seek his party’s support in a coalition after the election.

Mr Adams said the Fianna Fáil pledge not to enter into coalition with his party was "made in the context of an election and like most election pledges by the establishment parties they could easily be gone back on".

Sinn Féin leader, Mr Gerry Adams, on a walkabout in St Stephen's Green, Dublin, this afternoon. Photograph: Kate Runde

He said: "Who would believe that if we have a mandate and a Taoiseach is dependent on that support he is not going to come forward to seek our support".

Commenting on the release of Belfast loyalist Johnny Adair, Mr Adams said he was more fearful of the men in mohair suits in the police service and the intelligent services who are every bit as sectarian. He said he hoped Adair’s release would not damage the peace process.

Mr Adams said: "None of the loyalist paramilitaries is currently on ceasefire and this is just one of the challenges facing the incoming Government".

He refused to comment on allegations in today's Daily Telegraphthat a senior IRA figure and a close friend of Mr Adams travelled to Colombia on a false passport for the purposes of training FARC guerrillas.

Mr Adams said he had not read the piece and would not answer any hypothetical questions. He said it was no surprise that the issue of Colombia was emerging time and time again "in the mouth of an election" and the Irish electorate would see through such electioneering.

He said what concerned him most was "three Irishman in Colombia had been effectively tried by the media with the collusion of senior partners in the present Government".