Sinn Féin has said it is ready to be part of a coalition government after the forthcoming general election.
At an ardchomhairle meeting in Dublin at the weekend the party agreed the key priorities for its election manifesto, and said it will set out its plans to build "Irish unity".
It announced that 42 candidates will stand in 41 constituencies. A quarter of the candidates are women. Pat Doherty, the Sinn Féin MP for West Tyrone who is head of the party's election department, said on Saturday that their priority in government would be to end the crisis in the health service, build social and affordable housing, advance the peace process and build a strong, all-Ireland economy that delivers for all.
The party is promising to put a strong republican platform before the electorate and said it expected to substantially increase its representation in constituencies right across the country.
Sinn Féin increased its representation in the Dáil from one seat to five seats in the 2002 general election.
Mr Doherty said the forthcoming election was "huge" for the party.
"In the North our five government ministers are already working with the DUP and the other parties for the return to government on May 8th, and we are just as ready for government in the south," Mr Doherty said.