Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
04 – 11 November 2016

Towards a United Ireland – Gerry Adams addresses Friends of Sinn Féin dinner in New York.
Last night, Thursday, the Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams addressed the annual Friends of Sinn Féin dinner in New York.
The Sinn Féin leader thanked Irish America for its crucial support for the Irish peace process describing it as “the driver which kept the peace process on the agenda of the main parties in the USA”.
Commenting on the US Presidential election, Gerry Adams said: “This week the American people have elected President Trump as the 45thPresident of the USA. This is a great country. It gave many of you and your families opportunities you were denied at home. Of course, like all human societies, there are many contradictions and divisions, conflicts, and complexities.”
Mr Adams continued, “You have a great heart and Americans, all Americans, deserve a great and harmonious future. So, one of the greatest challenges facing the President elect will be to represent all the people of the USA and to play a positive and progressive role in world affairs. That includes Ireland. We especially need the continued focus and active support of Irish America; all of you in this room and beyond.”
Gerry Adams spoke of the dangers of Brexit to the process and to the political and constitutional arrangements that are fundamental to the Good Friday Agreement. He said: “In the June referendum, the British state decided to leave the European Union. The people of the North voted to remain. This is one of the biggest issues facing the people of the island of Ireland today, but it is also an opportunity. The outcome of the negotiations around Brexit will have profound implications for the Irish people.
He stated “Sinn Féin believes that if the British government wants to exit from the EU; that is their choice. However, London is insisting that when Britain leaves it will drag the North with them. That is wrong. What Sinn Fein wants is a Brexit from Ireland.”
In concluding, Gerry Adams said: “Just as there are massive challenges, there is also the opportunity to plot a new course forward; a course that will end the partition of our island. The British government is now obliged to legislate for Irish unity if a majority wants that. The duty of the Irish government should be to achieve this. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If it was, it would mean promoting all-Ireland co-operation and building relationships between our people. It would mean an end to partitionist thinking by policy makers and in the media also. It would mean enlisting international support for all of these objectives.”
Read full statement here.

Lynn Boylan MEP appointed to European Parliament Brexit working group.
Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan has said she is honoured to have been successfully appointed as a representative to the European Parliament Brexit working group for the Employment and Social Affairs Committee.
She said: “It is great honour to have been appointed by my parliamentary group, GUE/NGL, to serve as our representative on this European Parliament working group on Brexit. The opportunity allows me work with my colleagues in the employment committee on the consequences of the future withdrawal of the UK from the EU.”
She continued, “It is especially important that Ireland has its voice heard here in the European Parliament, not only to educate our colleagues from across the EU on the precarious position that Ireland now finds itself in due to the Brexit vote, but also in order to get across the necessity in making sure that Ireland does not suffer collateral damage in the fallout of the negotiations. Everyday 30,000 workers go between the north and south of Ireland for work, it is imperative that their concerns are raised in Brussels. Indeed it further provides the platform to make sure that my colleagues realise that the north of Ireland voted to remain in the EU, and that their wishes should be respected.”
Ms Boylan concluded, “Finally, in so much as the opportunity allows me, I will outline what needs to change about the EU in order to address the issues which caused the Brexit vote, such as who and why people have started to lose faith in the European project and what radical and progressive reform is needed to make sure the EU returns to its core principles of a social and caring Europe and a Europe of equals.”

Francie Molloy MP Responds to British Minister’s Email on “Superfast Broadband”
Mid Ulster MP, Francie Molloy, has replied to an email from Matt Hancock, British Minister for Digital and Culture stating that many constituents in Mid Ulster remain “disappointed” by the roll out of what is alleged to be “superfast broadband”.
Mr Molloy MP explained, “I received an email from the Tory Minister with responsibility for Digital issues to update me on broadband delivery in my constituency. Telling me that my constituency is located within the Leicestershire project the email went on to say that the project had been allocated some £8m of government funding.”
He continued, “Although it is clear that Mr Hancock has sent the email to the wrong MP it provided an opportunity to tell the Minister exactly what I thought about the roll out of ‘superfast broadband’ and it is not good. I advised the Minister that we regularly have complaints about the speed of broadband in this constituency. It seems that while BT claim to have brought it to the area, often this just means it is brought to the cabinet that in turn supplies a lot of houses. The actual service delivery to individual houses remains poor!”
Mr Molloy said that, “The government has spent a huge amount of money through BT to provide broadband yet it seems that most people have just the basic service which is poor and lags well behind that in many other EU countries.”
The Mid Ulster MP concluded, “I have expressed my willingness to meet the Minister when I am in Westminster next to discuss the problem of ‘superfast broadband’ in Mid Ulster rather than Leicestershire.”

Senator Warfield encourages young people to get registered to vote
Sinn Féin Seanad spokesperson for the arts, youth affairs and LGBTQI rights, Senator Fintan Warfield is encouraging young people to people to get registered before the 25th November deadline, particularly if you have turned 18 or are turning 18 before February 15th.
Senator Warfield said: “It is increasingly important that young people get registered to vote and have their say on issues that affect them on a daily basis. Austerity hurt young people, damaged their future here, and the ‘recovery’ has yet to be felt by the majority.”
The Senator continued, “When you consider the Marriage Equality Referendum turnout, it is evident that young people can mobilise in massive numbers. I’m encouraging young people to get registered to vote, to ensure their concerns are on the political agenda and to demand a better future. You can download a registration from and check your details on www.checktheregister.ie.”

British government will not represent best interests of the North – Martina Anderson MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has said the British government will not represent the best interests of the North in any negotiations on Brexit.
Ms Anderson said; “The elected representatives of the people of the North must be involved in any discussions on our future relationship with the EU. The majority who voted to remain have no confidence that the best interests of the people of the North will be served by the British government. The fact is that the north voted to remain in the EU and we should be looking at alternatives to Brexit that recognise and respect that vote and allow a designated special status for the North with the EU.”

Week in Review is circulated by Sinn Fein MPs. Email joseph.dwyer@parliament.uk to join the list or sign up here. For further information visit www.sinnfein.ie or follow us on twitter @sinnfeinireland