Powersharing with unionists is within Sinn Fein's sights, the party's ardfheis conference heard tonight.
Chief negotiator Martin McGuinness said he believed Democratic Unionist Party leader Rev Ian Paisley had moved from a position of "never" to "probably" on the issue and this ushered in an exciting time for republicans.
As Northern Ireland voters go to the polls next week to elect a new Assembly, Mr McGuinness told delegates in Dublin's RDS Arena that the days of unionist domination were over.
"We have within our sights the prospect of Ian Paisley — who began with 'never', moved to 'no', then 'maybe' and now a possible, some say probable 'yes' - finally accepting his nationalist and republican neighbours as equals," he said.
The MP added of power-sharing: "If that happens it will be truly historic, an acceptance by the leader of unionism that the days of unionist domination are over and, potentially, the beginning of a process of national reconciliation."
This year's ardfheis has been shortened from three to two days because supporters will travel to Northern Ireland for last-minute campaigning before Wednesday's elections for the Stormont Assembly.
Tonight's event was addressed by the Siptu president Jack O'Connor and Unison official Patricia McKeown. The leader of the Basque's Batasuna party, Arnaldo Otegi and ANC representative Ronnie Kasrils are guest speakers on Saturday.
One of the conference motions calls for Dublin's Merrion Road, the site of the British Embassy, to be renamed as Bobby Sands Avenue and the appointment of a junior government minister with responsibility for all-Ireland development.
Another proposal to provide free Irish and English language lessons for newly-arrived immigrants will also be voted upon by delegates. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams will make his keynote leader's address tomorrow evening.