McGuinness hints he is willing to meet the Queen

Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has given his clearest signal to date that he is willing to meet the Queen.

At a Dublin conference to mark the success of the peace process, Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister said he would not be found wanting when compromises need to be made.

Mr McGuinness, who recently said he would not rule out meeting the Queen as part of efforts to build bridges with unionists, challenged his own community to foster reconciliation.

In response to questions on whether this would stretch to a royal meeting as the monarch celebrates her Jubilee year, Mr McGuinness pointed to his track record.

He said: “It’s making clear that the enormous progress that’s been made in recent times has been made because politicians have been prepared to compromise. Compromise to me in the peace process is never a dirty word.

“There are big challenges ahead for all of us. Not just for me, but others in the process. We all have to be big enough to rise to these challenges. Am I big enough to rise to these challenges? Absolutely.”