Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has insisted his party will not enter coalition with Sinn Féin after the next general election.

Mr Martin was reacting to comments yesterday by the Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, who refused to rule out entering coalition with Fianna Fáil.

However, in a statement this morning Mr Martin said this was posturing ahead of an election and should be dismissed.

He said: “ The party’s policy platform and its way of doing business are incompatible with Fianna Fáil.

“The Sinn Féin economic policy is anti-jobs, and their taxation policy would hit working people.

“This story should also be dismissed as it fits in to a particular party political agenda.”

Mr Martin said Fianna Fáil’s position was clear. He said the party was aiming to lead the next Government.

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed Sinn Féin on course to become the second largest in the Dáil after the next election.

Speaking yesterday morning, Mr Adams said the course forward could not be decided until after the votes are cast.

Asked about a future coalition with Fianna Fáil, Mr Adams said: “Our party ardfheis will decide on these issues if we get a mandate.

"And remember we do not have a mandate at this time and neither does anyone else. We have made it clear we are not going to do . . . what Labour did and go in with these bigger conservative parties if they are bigger conservative parties.

“The wonderful thing about the elections is that nobody really knows what is going to come out of it. So when we are clear what comes out of it, we will talk to whoever we think is appropriate to talk to.”

The latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll shows Fine Gael set to be the biggest party in the Dáil after the general election.

Its support now stands at 30 per cent. Sinn Féin is at 21 per cent in the polls, while Fianna Fáil is at 19 per cent.