Sinn Féin leadership meeting to discuss invitation to meet British monarch ends

The Ard Comhairle of Sinn Féin is meeting in Dublin to discuss an invitation for Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to attend an event hosted by Co-operation Ireland which will also be attended by President Michael D.Higgins and England's queen Elizabeth.

Co-operation Ireland works to build bridges across divided communities in Ireland and next Wednesday's event aims to celebrate the arts and culture of Ireland.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Sinn Féin's Conor Murphy MP said: “We have a responsibility to contribute to genuine reconciliation and we always were prepared to consider a genuine proposition and we have one on the table.

“We wanted to ensure we were part of a genuine reconciliation, not some sort of PR exercise but something which has a meaning and can make a contribution to the peace process and can contribute to bringing communities closer together.”

A decision is expected to be announced after lunchtime.