Indo's dramatic spin on Sinn Féin coalition position not based on fact

DRAMATIC headlines in the Irish Independent claiming 'Sinn Féin is cosying up to Fianna Fáil' have been dismissed by a senior Sinn Féin source who says the Indo's reporting on comments by Gerry Adams TD on Tuesday are misleading.

Sinn Féin members voted at the party's Ard Fheis in March to oppose entering Government as a junior coalition partner to either Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. 

That position has not changed.

Indo journalist Niall O'Connor asked Gerry Adams at a media briefing on Tuesday whether Sinn Féin would consider going into government with Fianna Fáil in a situation where Gerry Adams' party were the second-largest party after Fine Gael.

Adams responded:

"Let the people have their say...  Our party Ard Fheis will decide on these issues when we have a mandate. We have made it clear that we are not going to do what Labour did and go into Government with these bigger conservative parties."

Speaking to An Phoblacht on a situation where Fianna Fáil had more seats than Sinn Féin following the General Election, a senior Sinn Féin source said:

"Sinn Féin wants to lead an alternative government based on the Right2Change principles," the source said.

"Fianna Fáil would have to sign up to those principles and our key priorities of abolishing the Property Tax, Water Charges and Irish Water. They would have to agree a truly progressive programme for government. Essentially they would need to cease being conservative and start being progressive, which I can’t see them doing."