The Government has failed to make the most of its presidency of the European Union, Sinn Féin President Mr Gerry Adams said today.
At the launch of his party's campaign for the European elections, he also said he believed Sinn Féin had a realistic chance of becoming the first party to capture seats on both sides of the Border.
"The Irish presidency of the EU was another real opportunity to put issues raised by the Irish people on the European agenda," Mr Adams said. "The Government could have acted to protect neutrality. They could have acted to demand that Irish is recognised as an official EU language.
"They could have acted to address a wide range of concerns about the growing lack of democracy within the EU. But the Irish presidency is almost over and the Government have spent the entire time transfixed by the effort to secure a deal on the proposed EU Constitution, even if such a deal means a further dilution of Irish sovereignty," he said.
Sinn Féin strategists believe they can capture two European Parliament seats next month in Northern Ireland and in Dublin.
Former Stormont Health Minister Bairbre de Brún is strongly fancied to take her party's first-ever seat in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Féin also has high hopes that one of its rising stars, Ms Mary Lou McDonald, can capture its first ever European Parliament seat in the Republic. The candidate is being widely tipped to take one of the four seats in Dublin.