The Sinn Féin leader, Gerry Adams, has stated in Canada that Irish Republicans face three big challenges in the time ahead.
The first he said was to ensure that the British and Irish Governments were focused and understood clearly the need to bed down the peace process.
Mr Adams said another task was to end sectarianism and forge a new relationship between unionism and the rest of the population.
He said the third and final task for republicans was to achieve Irish unity.
McDowell: SF aims for balance of power
The Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, has said Sinn Féin's aim is to get the balance of power in the next election and use it to control the next Government.
Speaking at a ceremony to celebrate 20 years in politics for the Progressive Democrats, Mr McDowell said that there was no room in democratic government for any party or movement that does not support the police and the rule of law.
He also said that, if a coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens was elected in the next general election, Ireland would suffer economically.
