Adams will be Sinn Féin’s nomination for Taoiseach

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has confirmed he will be his party's nomination for the position of taoiseach when the Dáil reconvenes tomorrow.

Mr Adams said he was selected after the party's Oireachtas group met yesterday.

He reiterated that Sinn Féin would not enter into any arrangements with Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

Mr Adams was asked why he was being nominated for taoiseach when a new Sinn Féin TD, David Cullinane, had said the party had no mandate for government.

“We have a very sizeable mandate,” he responded. “No party has a mandate for government. That’s the will of the people. That’s the way it has worked out; we have a hung Dáil. There are no longer any ‘no go’ areas for Sinn Féin.”

Asked if no “no go” areas meant the possibility of a coalition with Fine Gael, Mr Adams dismissed such a scenario.

“We will abide by the mandate we are given,” he said. “It’s very clear, following an ardfheis of our party that decided we will not go into coalition with either of the two” largest parties.