Mr Adams has been under pressure in his electoral heartland over what voters say is a republican failure to ensure the police are preventing crime in the area.

West Belfast has experienced three murders in recent months, while last weekend, two men died in a stolen car and a woman was raped in a forest park.

Mr Adams has accused the PSNI of failing to provide proper policing in the area, but Mr Orde has rejected the criticism as unfair and unjustified.