Sinn Fein has productively taken the example of South Africa and, as we develop the peace process, we continue to use examples from South Africa.

But if republicans are to prevail, if the peace process is to be successfully concluded and Irish sovereignty and re-unification secured, then we have to set the agenda - no-one else is going to do that.

Sinn Fein has demonstrated the ability to play a leadership role as part of a popular movement towards peace, equality and justice.

Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war.