A draft copy of the clar for the Sinn Fein ardfheis this month has been obtained by the Sunday Tribune. Gerry Adams will propose a special conference to decide Sinn Fein's position on the PSNI if the British government and DUP make certain commitments on transferring policing powers to Stormont.

However, hardline motions from many cumainn across the country strongly oppose supporting the PSNI under any circumstances. Such support is regarded as a prerequisite for Sinn Fein entering government in the North.

A motion from eight cumainn in Tyrone, Monaghan, Louth and Dublin says Sinn Fein "cannot participate in any six-county policing arrangements until a timetable for a British withdrawal from Ireland has been agreed".

Another motion, supported by the Queen's University Belfast cumann and five others, says Sinn Fein must engage in policing only in "a 32county republic free from British rule".

A third motion directs Sinn Fein not to support any police force which upholds British law and answers to the British prime minister.

A fourth motion urges Sinn Fein leaders to listen to their own members and "resist pressure from the Irish, British and US governments to sign up to an unacceptable police force currently controlled by British securocrats".

After policing powers are transferred to Stormont, Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are expected, at the special ardfheis, to recommend Sinn Fein takes its seats on the policing board.

Republican sources didn't know if the leadership would allow the hardline motions to be discussed at the ardfheis at the RDS. They predicted that, despite grassroots unease, the leadership's position on policing would prevail, as it did over entering Stormont and decommissioning.

There is also widespread opposition to entering a coalition government in the Republic. "This ardfheis resolves that Sinn Fein should not enter any coalition or pact with any parties in the 26 counties before or after the next general election, " states one motion.