Speaking at a Sinn Fein forum in Dublin yesterday, the SF chief said: "Several weeks ago Sinn Fein resolutely opposed any halfway house, inbetween, transitional, interim or shadow Assembly. That remains our position."

Adams said that any institution must be representative of the Good Friday agreement, like the previous Assembly.

"Although it only worked for a short time, it was popular and relatively efficient, " he said.

He also said that the two governments should not be looking into changing the Good Friday agreement to suit the DUP. "The governments need to be coming forward with propositions to implement the Good Friday agreement and then endeavouring to get the DUP on board."

Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair have continued to work on proposals for restoring the Northern Assembly and will travel to the North on 6 April to present their plan for reviving devolution.