The Sinn Féin Ard Fheis has gotten under way in Athlone with the party expected to set out plans over the next two days to make housing affordable, deliver less costly childcare, and tackle the cost of living.
The party says it is going into this Ard Fheis ready to fight the general election.
They are a big two days for Sinn Féin as it seeks to halt its slide in support, as suggested in several recent opinion polls.
To do this, the party is going to the focus on housing and supporting workers and families.
The message that the party leader will hope to pitch to voters in her keynote address tomorrow evening is that Sinn Féin has distinctly different policies from the parties in Government.
The party's Spokesperson for Finance Pearse Doherty described it as a clear choice between real change, progress and hope, or continued failure, spin and more of the same from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
The Ard Fheis will also include discussions on plans to prepare for Irish unity.
O'Neill vows Casement Park will be first-class stadium
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O’Neill has vowed that a first-class stadium will be built at Casement Park.
In this her first Ard Fheis speech since assuming office, she pledged that the Northern Executive will work with the GAA and both the Irish and British governments to develop a flagship stadium for Gaelic games in Ulster.
She also condemned the spate of racist attacks in Northern Ireland and said political leaders will continue to face down division, sectarianism and racism.
"Hope will always win over hate," she said.
Meanwhile, the Ard Fheis has voted to give members a greater say in determining the party’s position on any future constitutional referendums.
It followed criticism from delegates and TDs including Martin Browne and Paul Donnelly over what was described as a failure to listen to members’ views on the Family and Care referendums.
In future the party’s position on a referendum will be decided following a vote at a special delegate conference.
