Sinn Féin has postponed any decision on entering coalition until a special delegates conference after the next general election.
In the debate which appeared equally divided between those who wouldn’t rule a coalition and those who are totally against it Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, Sinn Féin’s only sitting TD, urged delegates to be patient.
Arguing that the leadership of leadership of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Progressive Democrates were alarmed by the gains made by Sinn Féin in the 1997 elections, he said it was time to put Sinn Féin policies at forefront of the Irish political agenda.
"Let us keep them on the rack by building our strength, by electing a team of TDs and by placing our radical policies at the top of the political agenda," Mr Mr Ó Caoláin said.
Mr Martin Ferris, widely expected to stand as TD for North Kerry, also backed the holding of a special delegates conference to resolve the issue of coalition.
"It would be extremely counter-productive for our party to place ourselves in a political straight-jacket a move which our opponents would be only to delighted to see.
"Would it not be ironic if after more than 30 years of both the British and Irish establishments attempting to place us in a straight-jacket of their own manufacture that we were to facilitate them by limiting and restricting our own options," he asked.
Many delegates oppose any form of coalition describing parties in the Oireachtas as "parasitic" and "opportunistic".
Others were determined to discount any position similar to that of the Labour Party who yesterday refused to rule out post-election coalition, stating the position of many delegates was "we stand alone".