Gerry Adams will today chair the first of a series of public meetings on policing in advance of next weekend's special ardfheis.
The Sinn Féin president has insisted the meetings will be as open and democratic as possible. Opponents to his proposal to endorse the police services in both parts of Ireland will be welcome, he said.
The first meeting takes place in Toome, Co Derry, this afternoon with another in Galbally, Co Tyrone this evening. Further meetings will be held on a daily basis in Newcastle and Newry, Co Down tomorrow and on Monday; Ballyconnell, Co Cavan on Tuesday; west Belfast on Wednesday and Derry on Thursday.
Other meetings could be added to the list and internal consultations will take place elsewhere in the country.
Mr Adams said: "The vast, vast majority of republicans who have been through the past 30 years are broadly speaking with this strategy and have the right to disagree with about how tactics play out."
Referring to opponents to any Sinn Féin move to support the PSNI both within the party and in other organisations, Mr Adams said: "These people are not beyond the pale, we cannot just say that they don't have an opinion. I happen to think they are wrong, they happen to think I'm wrong. But that is what politics and argument is about. We want to engage with them and them with us."
He has admitted that some may stage some form of protest at the public meetings, saying: "Some may walk in to walk out again."
But he has appealed for those contemplating leaving Sinn Féin to stay and to argue their case.
"Let no-one think that the ardfheis is a foregone conclusion," he warned. "We [ the leadership] haven't won that debate by any stretch."
Others in the Sinn Féin leadership are confident the republican movement in general is well disposed to a policing debate.
Newry and Armagh MP Conor Murphy said he looked forward to the meetings, especially in his own area. "People are up for this debate," he said.
"They have issues they want to discuss, but they are determined to move forward. We have achieved as much as we can achieve through negotiation and are now in a position to engage in policing structures. Support for the PSNI is something they have to earn as well."
Proper accountable procedures for the PSNI and Garda was necessary, he added.