Electoral strategy: A Waterford motion ruling out Sinn Féin's participation in a coalition government was decisively rejected by delegates.
This followed the intervention of the party's leader in the Dáil, Cavan-Monaghan TD Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, who strongly opposed it. He said the decision to enter coalition would have to be taken by a full delegate conference.
"You will take that decision and no one else," he added.
The motion from the Keating/ Sands Cumann was moved by a Waterford delegate. "We should not go into government with other parties. We would be tainted," he said.
Mr Ó Caoláin appealed to delegates not to limit their options and not to close down prematurely the already limited number of possible permutations.
"Keep them all guessing, stay in the mix, affirm our political platform and goals and restate time and time again what others must do to measure up," he added.
Mr Ó Caoláin said they should ensure by hard work that they would be in a pivotal position after the next election.
The ardfheis also passed a Dublin motion calling on the party to investigate the establishment of a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender network within each Sinn Féin division.
