Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
09-16 October 2014

DUP must `get real’ on talks – McGuinness
This week, Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness has said that if the DUP is serious about tackling the growing crisis in the political process then they should be at the table this week with the other parties and the Irish and British governments.
Speaking after meeting EU leaders in Brussells on the growing crisis facing the political process in the North, Martin McGuinness said :
`The political institutions in the North established by the Good Friday Agreement have been undermined over the past number of years by the convergence of a number of factors.
`First mainstream political unionism has shifted towards an anti-agreement position. Second a partisan Tory-led British government is seeking to impose its policy of welfare and public service cuts on the North while pandering to a growing list of unionist demands. Alongside that the Irish government, a co-equal guarantor of the agreements has been focused on domestic economic issues.
`These three factors have encouraged anti-agreement unionists to frustrate the implementation of agreements, walk out of talks on the past, parades and flags and undermine the institutions by threatening to bring them down.
He said Sinn Fein had `consistently called on the Irish government to re-assert its role as a co-equal guarantor of the agreements and for the two governments to begin immediate, all-party talks and to reengage the American administration’ adding `both governments have now called for talks.’
He said `The DUP leader had called for talks but now appears to be preparing to walk out of talks before they have even begun. “Yesterday they refused to stand by the agreement to appoint Mitchel McLaughlin as Speaker of the Assembly.This is yet another broken agreement. They are also seeking to deny the role of the Irish Government as co-equal guarantors of the agreements. The Irish Government has played a constructive role in each successful negotiation from Good Friday, through to St Andrews and Hillsborough. This is a vain attempt to wind the clock back. This is unacceptable. It is unsustainable.
`Let me be clear Sinn Féin operates the institutions to deliver change. We are entering these talks to address the issues facing the political process; the need to honour agreements, the need for a working budget for the Executive and additional powers to safeguard public services and welfare for all our people.
`The leaders of Unionism however, are seeking to hide from talks and avoid addressing the pressing issues facing all in our community. “It is clear that the British Government’s partisan handling of these matters has encouraged unionists to undermine the agreements. “Both the British Government and the DUP needs to demonstrate by word and deed that it is committed to the implementation of the agreements, to powersharing, and to equality
`If the DUP is serious they will be at the talks on Thursday with the rest of the parties and the two governments. What is required is an immediate start to all-party talks, free from preconditions and threats and the implementation of all previous agreements. The political institutions need to function as intended and agreed. Budgeting and fiscal powers need to be addressed, And the issues addressed in the talks chaired by Richard Haass and Meghan O’Sullivan need to be dealt with.
He concluded: `I believe that the full operation of all the agreed political institutions is the best way forward for all in our society. In my opinion all can be resolved if the political will to do so exists. That requires positive forward-looking political leadership. At this minute it is unclear if that leadership exists within Unionism or the British Government.”

Pro Agreement politics must be urgently asserted
On 15 October, writing for his Belfast Telegraph column, Sinn Fein Chairperson Declan Kearney called for `pro-agreement politics’ to be asserted.
In his article he commented that Peter Robinson had joined calls for a new talks process, but had `tried to narrow the scope of talks on DUP terms’ and `ridiculed the planned start of talks this Thursday’.
Week in Review reproduces his article in full:
`During the Haass negotiations it was apparent on December 20, the DUP were not serious about the process. And by December 30 they had written off those negotiations and turned against Richard Haass and Meghan O’Sullivan.
`Their only objective was to get unregulated Orange parades. When that proved impossible both the DUP and Ulster Unionists vetoed the Haass compromise proposals. Six months later both parties walked out of follow up party leaders talks after the Parades Commission issued its determination on the Orange parade at Ardoyne in July.
`They only attended those talks to stage a media walkout and into a pan-unionist front. The Ardoyne parade became a precondition for participating in future talks. The evidence suggests that the DUP isn’t really serious about talks on anything unless they get their own way. Three times in six months they have threatened to bring down the political institutions.
`DUP strategy is subordinate to the dominant unionist anti-Agreement axis. Instead of appealing to the 300,000 plus unionists who no longer vote, it is now fixated with the vote of the TUV and Ukip. Some in the DUP will say it is committed to power sharing and partnership government. However, they are not in charge. The group which opposed power-sharing with Sinn Fein and transfer of policing and justice powers are back in the driving seat. They misrepresent compromise and change in sectarian zero sum terms.
`That is why the DUP broke the deal to appoint Mitchel McLaughlin as the Assembly Speaker. The Party is locked into a race to the bottom with the TUV, Ukip, Ulster Unionists and extremists.
Even if some of their members are committed to genuine negotiations, the reality is that the TUV now has more influence within the DUP than they do. Big decisions now need to be taken.
The British and Irish governments should begin the talks process this week. It is time for the British to stop pandering to insatiable unionist preconditions and intransigence. The Orange card veto over talks must not be allowed. Positive and decisive leadership is required.
If the DUP and Ulster Unionists stick with the anti-Agreement axis, then pro-Agreement parties should fulfil the democratic imperative of the GFA referendum.The silent majority and democratic opinion must be enabled and empowered. Pro-Agreement politics must be urgently asserted.

Molloy MP in London to raise need to defend Good Friday Agreement
On 14-15 October Sinn Féin Mid-Ulster MP Francie Molloy was in London to brief British politicians on the current severe difficulties in the Irish peace process, given the emergence of a pan-unionist anti-Agreement axis.
Speaking after attending a reception in the Irish Embassy in London to mark the publication of Jonathan Powell’s book drawing on his experience in the Irish Peace Process Molloy commented that Jonathan Powell spoken `positively about the leadership given by Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams, and I took the opportunity to raise the events in the Assembly this week when the DUP under Peter Robinson’s leadership reneged on an agreement made with Sinn Fein on the sharing of the position of Speaker.’
Mr Molloy said there was `widespread agreement on an urgent need for the two governments to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement. The DUP action this week brings into question its reliability to honour any future Agreements unless the two governments guarantee their implementation.’
He added, `while the DUP record on keeping to the letter and spirit of agreement is dismal, that of the two governments is not much more encouraging. The British government’s appeasement of negative unionism and the Irish government’s detached attitude to the potential of the GFA is unhelpful and counter-productive.
He said the Irish Government had `previously played a constructive role in each successful negotiations from Good Friday, through to St Andrews and Hillsborough’ and added `we have consistently called on the Irish government to re-assert this role as a co-equal guarantor of the agreements.’
He concluded: `I am glad that both governments have now called these talks and that the US administration is also willing to once more assist this process. The DUP leader had also called for talks but now appears to be preparing to walk out before they have even begun. This in-out negative unionist approach to negotiations is unacceptable and unsustainable.’

* ADVANCE NOTICE: Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy will be among speakers at a Westminster public meeting on Tuesday 25 November, 7.30pm, on the current stakes for the peace process and the need to assert pro-Agreement politics. The meeting will take place in the Boothroyd Room, House of Commons Further details to be announced, or via fisherj@parliament.uk

Unfair Budget `rewards better-off and fails ordinary citizens’
This week, Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams TD said that the Budget announced on 14 October was `unfair, gives more to those who have more and does nothing for already hard-pressed families and individuals.’
Mr Adams said the Budget was an example of the Government p`utting its own electoral ambitions before the interests of the people.’
He said that as a result of the Budget, the Taoiseach would be four times better off than a married couple with an income of €35,000 and he asked Mr Kenny if he believed that this was fair.
Addressing the Taoiseach in the Dáil this morning Gerry Adams said:
`Yesterday the Government had the opportunity to relieve the burden on long-suffering citizens. You had the ability to get rid of Water Charges and the Family Home Tax and to take the lowest-paid workers out of the tax net.
`You decided not to do this. Instead, you put your own conservative interests and your electoral ambitions before the interests of the people. Your Budget lacks ambition and vision. You don’t deal with the unemployment crisis, the housing crisis or the crisis in health. Half-a-million people have been forced to emigrate in the last eight years. There is a massive human cost to society, to communities and to families. You don’t deal with this.
`There is no fairness in your Budget. There isn’t even the pretence of dealing with citizens on the basis of equality. At this time one-in-seven people live at risk of poverty. One-in-four live in a jobless household. These people cannot afford to pay your Water Charges or your Property Tax. “And even middle-income workers, who you claim will be better off, will have their modest benefits completely offset by upcoming Water Charges. For example, you Taoiseach, will be four times better off than a married couple with an income of €35,000. Taoiseach, this is your choice. This is Labour’s choice. Do you believe this is fair?’
Gerry Adams said the unfairness of the Budget was best represented by the Government’s refusal to abolish Water Charges and the Property tax.
He went on to say: `Fine Gael and Labour continue to over-tax ordinary families. A fairer budget would shift the burden of taxation onto revenue sources less harmful to the domestic economy while ensuring finance for frontline services.
`Abolishing the Property Tax – a deeply unfair family home charge – would be a massive stimulus for low and middle-income families and for the domestic economy. Scrapping Water Charges would have an even greater effect. Your proposal for a tax credit of 20% of the Water Charge Bill, capped at €100 euros, in no way compensates for the impact on hard-pressed families.
He concludeded: `It isn’t that people won’t pay your charges. They can’t pay your charges without getting into greater debt or cutting other necessities for their families’. Calling again for the scrapping of the Water tax, Mr Adams said this had been the message delivered by thousands of people on the streets of Dublin last Saturday.
Read Sinn Fein’s response to the budget and the party’s alternative budget here.

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