IRA claims 'will not hit SF vote'

Martin McGuinness said Sinn Fein has made 'huge efforts'

Recent allegations about the IRA will not affect Sinn Fein's vote in elections, Martin McGuinness has said.

Sinn Fein's chief negotiator said he was working with Gerry Adams to remove the IRA from the political equation.

"What I am going to do is create political circumstances which will see the IRA go out of existence," he said.

The party has come under pressure over allegations about IRA involvement in the Northern Bank robbery and the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney.

In recent days, the IRA has expelled three members over Mr McCartney's murder following an internal investigation and Sinn Fein has suspended seven members suspected of involvement.

'Huge efforts'

Speaking on the last day of Sinn Fein's annual conference in Dublin, Mr McGuinness said the party had made "huge efforts" in intensive talks to break the deadlock in Northern Ireland last year.

He told the BBC's Politics Show that Mr Adams and himself "managed to bring about a situation" where the IRA would "put weapons beyond use and do that before Christmas of last year".

Robert McCartney's sisters travelled to the Sinn Fein conference

Meanwhile, Mr Adams has repeated his appeal for those involved in the murder of Robert McCartney in Belfast six weeks ago to come forward.

Mr McCartney, 33, was murdered on 30 January after a row in a bar. His family claim republicans were involved in the killing and subsequent cover-up.

The Sinn Fein leader told the party's annual conference that Mr McCartney's murder had "sullied the republican cause".

He told the BBC those involved should stop being selfish and come forward.

Speaking on Sunday, he said: "People involved in intimidation should stop it, people who have information should come forward and those who carried out the crime should come forward and admit it - redeem yourselves."

Mr McCartney's four sisters travelled to Dublin to hear Mr Adams' keynote speech on Saturday.

BBC NEWS: VIDEO AND AUDIO Watch Gerry Adams on Breakfast with Frost

Mr Adams told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost that the killers had "brought the good name of republicanism into the dark".

"I wouldn't have invited the McCartney sisters there to make the remarks I made... unless I was serious," he said.

Mr McCartney's sisters received a warm welcome from delegates at the conference.

Speaking afterwards, his sister Catherine said Mr Adams' speech was encouraging but their priority was to see those responsible brought to justice.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein policing spokesman Gerry Kelly told delegates at the party's conference in Dublin on Sunday that he believed "progress had been made on a new beginning".

He said the party would hold a special Ard Fheis on policing once the DUP had committed to a short time frame for the transfer of policing and justice powers to local ministers and once the British government enacted legislation which allowed this to be done.

He also warned party members that the transferral of these powers carried great responsibility.