Coalition vote:Delegates overwhelmingly rejected a motion ruling out coalition with Fianna Fáil after the general election.
The motion, tabled by the Charlie Hurley cumann in Bandon, Co Cork, noted the "incompatibility of the principles and the policies of the two parties".
Arguing strongly against the motion, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said it would be up to the party's membership to decide if it should enter any coalition arrangement with another party, or parties, in the wake of the election.
"Now, that is something you should retain. It is a very, very powerful instrument in the run-up to the election and immediately following it."
Mr Ó Caoláin said they all knew Fianna Fáil's record, and many motions on the ardfheis agenda highlighted the party's failures in Government.
"Make no mistake about it, irrespective of how we view the proposition in this motion, none of us has any illusions whatsoever about Fianna Fáil at this point in time."
However, said Mr Ó Caoláin, the issue for Sinn Féin was two-fold. Would any of the other parties measure up to the policy commitments which Sinn Féin would require in the wake of an election?
Would entering a coalition enhance Sinn Féin's political strength and advance its struggle for Irish unity and equality?
"We would have to satisfy ourselves that the answer to both those questions would be yes before coalition could even be considered. "Comrades, that is not the business of this ardfheis. That would be the business of a specially-convened ardfheis if the occasion presents post the upcoming general election, or any future general election."
Supporting the motion, Jackie Phelan (Portlaw, Co Waterford) said the party should not even consider supporting Fianna Fáil after the election.
"There is much ambiguity from the leadership here. We stand for something which Fianna Fáil does not stand for.
"Fianna Fáil corrupted the political system. Haughey, Lawlor and Burke corrupted the system, but there were many others. Who pays the price for that corruption?
"It is the young people of Ireland who are taking out mortgages from banks and building societies. We have given the freedom we won from the British back to the banks, those giving out mortgages and the developers in Ireland."
Mr Phelan said the greatest betrayal of all by Fianna Fáil was the extradition of republicans into the hands of a British system which was found guilty of torture by the European Court of Human Rights.
"We should be honest with the people who support Sinn Féin and say that we will not support Fianna Fáil in any form." The party, said Mr Phelan, should not be all things to all people.
"We carry the spirit of the men of 1798 and 1916, the men of the hunger strike, Bobby Sands and his comrades. We have a special place in Ireland."
