Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has said he can envisage a future without the IRA provided politics is made to work.

Mr Adams was speaking at a special party meeting in County Monaghan in the Irish Republic on Saturday.

He told the republican gathering he acknowledged "alleged IRA activities" had destabilised unionism.

The speech was the Sinn Fein leader's considered response to what the prime minister had to say in Belfast last week.

Tony Blair called for an end to the IRA

Tony Blair was speaking after the suspension of the Stormont Assembly over allegations of IRA activity, including intelligence gathering within the Northern Ireland Office.

Mr Blair said the continuing existence of the IRA "totally justifies" rejectionist unionists' refusal to share power with republicans.

He called for an end to the IRA saying: "There is no parallel track left. The fork in the road has finally come."

'End to armed groups'

In Saturday's speech, the West Belfast MP told the prime minister the IRA was never going to disband in response to ultimatums.

He said the British and Irish governments and unionist politicians would first have to make politics work if progress was to be made on the future of the IRA.

"I want to see an end to all armed groups on this island. That has to be the aim of every thinking republican.

"So if you ask me do I envisage a future without the IRA? The answer is obvious. The answer is Yes."

Mr Adams acknowledged that "alleged IRA activities" had undermined those people within unionism who had accepted change.

I can state categorically that we never made the IRA an issue

Gerry Adams Sinn Fein leader

"I can understand the sense of Mr Blair's perception about all of this but I am sure, if he has paused to reconsider, he will see the flaw in this version of events.

"As one of the republicans involved in all of the negotiations with the British Government I can state categorically that we never made the IRA an issue," he said.

"In fact, the Agreement came some years after the IRA cessations and I believe that the maintenance of those cessations and various initiatives by the IRA demonstrate that organisation's commitment to this process."

Mr Adams warned that talks aimed at restoring devolution could not be about the renegotiation the Good Friday Agreement.

The party president criticised the Irish Government, both for going along with the suspension of the institutions, and for not doing enough to secure reforms on policing.

On that issue, Mr Adams said he could see Sinn Fein joining the Policing Board if the Patten Report on policing reform was fully implemented.

The British Government was also accused of not honouring the Agreement on equality, justice and demilitarisation.