Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
17-25 September 2014‏

Scottish referendum will have `major implications’ for the North of Ireland – Gerry Adams TD
On 20 September, following the Scottish referendum vote, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams TD said its outcome had `profound’ implications, including for the north of Ireland.
Sinn Féin would, he said be seeking to ensure the British Prime Minister `follows through on commitments to transfer significant powers to the Executive’ and in relation to its obligations under the Good Friday Agreement `and will defend the all-Ireland and power-sharing political institutions. Earlier on 19 September Martin McGuinness called for a border poll in the North following the Scottish independence referendum.
Mr McGuinness said the debate around the referendum `ensures that things will never be the same again for Scotland or elsewhere’. He said it revealed `that it is possible to discuss important constitutional issues in a spirit of respect for all sides’, adding `we could do that without opening up divisions which would be detrimental to the institutions’.
He said there were `many challenges to face’ but it was `clear that there is a rump within the DUP of between nine and 12 powerful individuals who have been blocking progress in the Assembly’. However, he added `with agreement and a united front we can overcome those challenges. We have huge budgetary challenges facing us and Peter Robinson and I are in agreement that the decisions taken by this Conservative-led administration has amounted to a gutting of the block grant.’
He said there was `agreement on a number of issues’ and that Sinn Fein would be `calling on the British government to transfer full fiscal powers to the Assembly’. There was a need to `find agreement on what extra powers would benefit the people we represent’.
He concluded `there is a debate to be had and I enter into that in a spirit of positivity and constructiveness to find an approach we can all agree on.’
Meanwhile in relation to the forthcoming by-elections in Ireland on 10 October, in Roscommon/South Leitrim and Dublin South West Mr Adams said voters had `a clear choice between candidates that represent the “Consensus for Cuts” of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour or the fairer alternative being put forward by Sinn Féin’.
He said he believed voters were `responding to Sinn Féin’s message’ and that there was `growing and widespread support for a fairer way of doing things.’

Sinn Fein tell Labour conference debate: defend the peace process
On 21-24 September a Sinn Fein delegation attended the British Labour conference in Manchester. The party hosted a fringe meeting on 21 September, address by Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew, Senator Kathryn Reilly and Labour Shadow spokesperson for the North, Ivan Lewis MP. Guardian writer Seumas Milne chaired the event, around the `Labour, Ireland and defending the peace process’, which drew a packed audience.
At the meeting Ms Gildernew gave a warning that the political process was in a `perilous and untenable’ position. She said that `much work’ was put in by many people to achieve the Good Friday Agreement, and she paid tribute to Labour’s role in this.
However, she added `its implementation is far from over – but to continue the task needs momentum’. She said the past two years had seen political unionism `clearly move into an anti-Agreement mode.’
She said the DUP showed `no genuine willingness to share power with republicans in a real partnership government, or to embrace things like mutual respect, parity of esteem or reconciliation’.
She said there was a de facto `pan-unionist coalition of the unionist political parties – including those aligned to the paramilitary UDA & UVF’ which was `an anti-GFA axis, aiming to subvert the GFA’s principles and processes’.
She pointed to the `refusal to agree the compromises emerging from the talks chaired by Richard Haass & Meghan O’Sullivan later last year; a walkout from reconvened party leaders’ talks in July, and threats to bring down the institutions over the issues of ‘On The Runs’, the Parades Commission decision, and now most recently on the issue of cuts’.
She criticised the British government for allowing unionist blocking to continue and urged both them and Irish governments – with support from the US – `to step up, get engaged positively and get things moving again’.
She also took issue with Labour’s Ivan Lewis’ assertion that Sinn Fein were wrong not to oppose the welfare `reform’ cuts. She said that Sinn Fein would do `all in our power to defend the most vulnerable sections of society’. She said that there was `clear evidence, including the tragic loss of life, already in England and Wales as a result of these devastating cuts’.

Sinn Fein pledge to `stand with the poorest and disadvantaged against Tory cuts’
Later on 23 September, Paul Maskey MP spoke on the panel of the CHAMP breakfast debate at Labour conference. Focusing on the issue of the Tory attempts to impose welfare cuts, he said Sinn Fein were `calling for all local parties to stand together to fight the Tory government’s efforts to impose the vicious welfare cuts’.
He said that the DUP should `explain how foisting this welfare cuts agenda on their own working-class constituents, as well as everyone else, is in any way desirable’.
Sinn Fein `will not support the cuts demanded by a cabinet of millionaires in London, who have not received one vote in Ireland’ he said adding `we stand alongside the poor, the low paid and the disadvantaged in this battle’.
In relation to the current political stalemate he said it was `clear that Unionists want the trappings of power without the responsibility of standing up for those they were elected to represent.’
Mr Maskey also disagreed with Labour’s Ivan Lewis over Sinn Fein’s stance on the cuts. He said it was not for a Labour Shadow Secretary of State to be a `cheerleader’ for Tory cuts.
* Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy will travel to Birmingham for a Conservative Party conference cross-party panel debate.
* The following week Francie Molloy MP will be in Glasgow for a similar discussion hosted by CHAMP at the Liberal Democrat conference. For details: 07940 565123.

Bring welfare legislation to the floor of the Assembly – Maskey
On 23 September Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey urged the DUP’s Nelson McCausland to `bring welfare legislation to the floor of the Assembly’.
Speaking after proposing a motion on the disastrous impact on welfare cuts, the South Belfast MLA said `we have already seen the disastrous impact of welfare cuts in Britain, particularly on the most vulnerable in society, including families on low income, those with disabilities and the unemployed.’
The cuts had been `a disaster’, adding `even the coalition parties are split on key aspects of the welfare legislation’.
Sinn Féin opposed Tory austerity north and south, he said. He added, `in this day and age the need for food banks should be a badge of shame for any government’ and said `the numbers of people made homeless or driven into poverty should make any party unfit for government’.
He said Nelson McCausland `should bring the legislation to the floor of the Assembly and allow the representatives of the people to have their say’. There was `a choice’ Mr Maskey said. Sinn Féin supported calls made by trade unions, church leaders, charities and a wide range of community groups `who work to tackle poverty on a daily basis’. He added, `the cuts that are now being imposed on services across departments are due to reductions in the block grant over a number of years. Adding welfare cuts on top of that would be a hammer blow to our communities.’
He concluded: `It is our job to protect our communities against these cuts and I would urge all parties to get together and present a united front against this agenda.’

Maskey welcomes Labour commitment on Finucane Inquiry
Paul Maskey also strongly welcomed British Shadow Secretary of State Ivan Lewis’s assurance that Labour’s Weston Park commitment to a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane will be honoured.
Paul Maskey welcomed Ivan Lewis’ statement at the Sinn Fein fringe meeting that the former Labour government’s Weston Park position was a ‘non-negotiable commitment’ and would be honoured in the event of a Labour victory at the election next year.

Negotiations should begin immediately – Kelly
Speaking on 24 September Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said `comprehensive negotiations’ should begin immediately in an effort to move the political process forward.
Mr Kelly said there was `clearly a need for comprehensive negotiations involving all the parties, the British and Irish governments and the US administration on all the issues currently frustrating political progress’. He added: `the British government also needs to fulfil commitments made in the Good Friday and other agreements such as a Bill of Rights, Acht na Gaeilge and the Pat Finucane Inquiry.’
Mr Kelly warned British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers that it would be `counterproductive’ to reward negative unionism with a panel of inquiry into a contentious Orange parade in North Belfast. He said: `If Theresa Villiers wants to encourage dialogue on parading then the last thing she should do is to reward unionist, loyalist and Orange negativity and intransigence by giving in to their ultimatum for an inquiry into parading in north Belfast.’
He said the Parades Commission was the `legally constituted body tasked with the work of adjudicating on contentious parades’, adding `experience shows us that the only effective way to resolve these issues is through a process of meaningful dialogue.’
He said it would be `entirely counter-productive for the British government to reward this negativity.’

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