Gerry Adams has announced his intention to step down as Sinn Fein president in 2018.

The 69-year-old republican veteran told the annual Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in Dublin it would be his last as leader, and a special meeting of the party would be called next year to elect a successor.

He made the announcement in a speech at his party's annual conference in Dublin.

The politcian for Co Louth, who has been party president since 1983, also told delegates he would not run in the next election in the Irish Republic.

"Leadership means knowing when it is time for change and that time is now," he told the annual conference in the RDS arena in Dublin.

Mr Adams said the move was part of the ongoing process of leadership transition within the party.

The plan, formulated along with Martin McGuinness before his death earlier this year, has already seen Michelle O'Neill, 40, take the role of Sinn Fein's leader at Stormont.

Mr Adams has gone before the Ard Fheis to seek re-election every year since 1983 and that formality was repeated on Saturday night.