'No one should underestimate how big a step this is,' Gerry Adams tells Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor
Gerry Adams does not know how the ardchomhairle will react to his call for a special ardfheis to review party policy on the police, nor will he reveal what will be in his ardchomhairle motion. "The ardchomhairle need to hear that first, but as I said in the statement, I believe that significant progress has been made. I think I have the basis for putting a motion for a special ardfheis and if you ask me what are the important elements of the statement, the first is that I have taken the step of calling this meeting.
"Secondly, if the ardchomhairle agrees this motion and if others, including the two governments and the DUP, respond positively, then we are into an ardfheis in January."
Asked if he had a target date next month, he said: "I'm very wedded to the idea of doing an intensive engagement with individuals, with veterans, with victims of state terrorism, with people who have been in the front line, with republican and nationalist communities. I like to think we can have a situation where everybody who wants to can have their say and if we disagree, then let's agree to disagree."
Questioned if this can be completed within the St Andrews timetable, Mr Adams confirmed: "That's the clear aim, very clear, if that slips that will be for practical reasons but I wouldn't be doing all of this [ otherwise]."
Mr Adams was asked how difficult a call it was for him personally and for his party collectively. He replied: "I'm talking to you in an office in which three people were killed, I've been shot myself, my home has been bombed. Every male member of my family has been imprisoned, so I can easily relate to those people who have been badly hurt and been in the front line."
He added: "It's hard to quantify [ how hard a decision on policing has been] after a very tiring phase, but given the life experience of all republicans and nationalists no one should underestimate how big a step this is both at a personal and a political level."
He continued: "But I think this is the right thing to do and I think this is the right time to do it. This is bigger than Sinn Féin, this is bigger than me and it is bigger than the DUP. This is about trying to be an instrument of change, and to bring about the type of change that is in the common good.
"So it's my firm belief that this will advance the struggle for equality. If it succeeds it is my firm view that initiatives like this will strengthen the quest for a just and lasting peace. You have to rise above your own situation . . . We are supposed to be servants in struggle, so we are a leadership and leaderships have to take decisions - you can't run away from them. Then you face up [ to it], you go and argue your case in a way that is comradely and fraternal and you convince people of the merit of your position."
Asked what changes have been made to policing to facilitate such a potential shift in Sinn Féin's policy on the PSNI, Mr Adams said: "I think there are a number of matters which can be generically described as an affinity to keep the PSNI to account. That is number one."
Questioned about any feedback on the likely DUP response, he said: "Because I am very mindful of the difficulties within republicanism, I can easily understand the difficulties in other parties and within unionism in general.
"But if this is the common good, and I believe it is, then I think everyone has to try to bring their contribution while maintaining and retaining their principle and their sense of what they stand for. We have an opportunity and there has been gridlock, there has been stalemate. What we are trying to do is break the gridlock and break the stalemate."