MICHELLE O'Neill says she currently has no desire to succeed Gerry Adams as leader of Sinn Féin because she has "enough to do".
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams signalled in September that he will set out his plan for an "orderly leadership change" if re-elected leader at this weekend's ard fheis.
Dublin TD and deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald is widely expected to succeed the former West Belfast MP when he finally relinquishes the position he has held since 1983.
Ms O'Neill told The Irish News this weekend's conference at the RDS would be "historic" because of Mr Adams's announcement about his future.
She said "Gerry would say what he has to say" but it was clear that the party was undergoing "transitional change" and that her appointment as northern leader was part of that process.
Read more: Michelle O'Neill - I support liberalising Sinn Féin's abortion policy
"For me, I've enough to do leading the north at this moment in time," she said.However, she said she would not be seeking to succeed the Louth TD as leader any time soon.
In regards to fresh negotiations aimed at restoring devolution, Ms O'Neill said there was "no appetite among the public for the hamster wheel of a process that doesn't have an outcome".
"Our door remains open in terms of talking to all the parties and we'll continue to do that" she said.
"As for whether there'll be a formal process this side of Christmas, I don't know but for our part we want to see the institutions up and running."
Michelle O'Neill on Arlene Foster
On Sinn Féin accepting Arlene Foster's nomination as first minister in a restored executive ahead of the DUP leader being cleared of any wrongdoing in relation to the botched Renewable Heat Incentive, Ms O'Neill said: "We've always said that until we deal with other issues, Arlene's position is academic."
On possible reform of the assembly's petition of concern, the Sinn Féin northern leader said: "You have to maintain the protections why the petition of concern came about in the first place – as long as you maintain the protections then you have to be open to looking at reform that makes it more fit for purpose but we won't support anything that does away with the petition of concern."
The Mid-Ulster MLA also revealed that she will support a liberalising of Sinn Féin's abortion policy when an ard chomhairle-backed motion goes before this weekend's ard fheis.
Ms O'Neill said she would support motion 144 which not only restates current policy of advocating abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality, rape or sexual abuse but extends it to "where a woman’s life, health or mental health is at serious risk or in grave danger".
"I think it's appropriate in terms of making our policy fit for purpose," she told The Irish News last night.
She said it was also significant that the party's ruling executive's motion included the development of a women's health policy.
The Republic's eighth amendment
The Sinn Féin northern leader also supports the unconditional repeal of the Republic's eighth amendment, which protects the rights of the unborn child.
She said the party "isn't in favour of abortion" and that when she explained why the more liberal policy was being adopted, people would understand.
