FIANNA Fail are poised to run candidates on the other side of the border – and have a number of serving politicians in the North ready to join them.

They want to take on Sinn Fein and have sounded out public representatives there willing to serve under Micheal Martin, we have learned.

4 Fianna Fail foreign affairs spokesman Darragh O’Brien

Speaking to the Irish Sun, FF foreign affairs spokesman Darragh O’Brien said: “It is something we are assessing and we are open about that. But it is not in reaction to what has happened in the UK general election.

“We have members in the North and we spend a lot of time in the North. We do have a number of existing public representatives in the North who are very interested in joining Fianna Fail.”

4 Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams

The party is soon to publish its White Paper on Irish Unification which is expected to detail their Northern goals. TD O’Brien said: “If we were to do it, it would be to provide a realistic alternative to what Sinn Fein offer, which is effectively a sectarian headcount.”

He refused to say whether a Fianna Fail MP would be willing to swear the oath of allegiance to the British Queen - and so left open the possibility that they could replace the SDLP as the nationalist voice in Westminster.

4 Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin

Deputy O’Brien said: “At this moment in time, Sinn Fein have seven MPs and they won’t take their seats and have handed the whip-hand over to the DUP.

“We didn’t stand in the Westminster election so that type of question is irrelevant. If we did, we would deal with those issues when those decisions are taken, not now.”

With the DUP doing a deal with the Tories, Sinn Fein’s seven MPs could play a decisive role in blocking any hard Brexit policies - but only if they took their seats in Westminster.

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Deputy Martin said: “Here we have an opportunity for Sinn Féin to influence moderate opinion and they are refusing to take part. It shows a party that is just focused on the election and on count day.”

4 Northern Ireland is still without an Assembly following the 2017 elections and Fianna Fail are planning to contest any future election

But Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams hit back: “What kind of self-respecting Irish republican would ask anyone to ignore their electoral mandate and swear loyalty to the English Queen or legitimise the British parliament’s role in Ireland? Micheal Martin can criticise Sinn Féin from the sidelines all he wants. That won’t make a lick of difference to the lives of people in the six counties.

“Instead of constantly sniping, he should allow his party to stand in Northern elections and seek a mandate. I would welcome such a development.”