Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
28 October – 04 November 2016

Tory approach to EU referendum has been shambolic – Martin McGuinness MLA
Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness has said decisions about the future of the people of Ireland need to be taken on this island.
Mr McGuinness said; “Today’s judgement underlines the point I have made repeatedly since June that the Tories approach to this issue has been shambolic. I have no faith in the British parliament supporting the democratically expressed wishes of the people of the North to remain in Europe.”
The Joint First Minister continued, “Any decision taken about the future of the people of Ireland need to be taken on this island. The Irish government also have to act to defend the best interests of all Irish citizens across the island. Sinn Féin is opposed to Brexit. The referendum result showed that the people of the North want their future to be in Europe. That vote must be recognised and respected.”

Remain vote must be respected to protect rights of people with disabilities – Martina Anderson MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson has said the remain vote of the North must be respected to protect the rights of people with disabilities.
Speaking at the Unite for Rights conference she hosted in Louth, Ms Anderson said; “This conference is very timely as we, as a community, face several challenges in relation to the protection of our hard-earned and essential rights for people with disabilities.”
She continued, “We face the challenges of austerity, the failure to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the British government’s plan to scrap the Human Rights Act and we face Brexit. It is shameful and unacceptable that the Irish government has not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It has taken decades to build rights and protections, to put people at the centre of policies, whether at a European level or indeed here.”
The MEP concluded, “Brexit will take us backwards. We need to unite to protect those rights. The people of the north voted to remain and we need to raise our voices and demand that our vote is fully recognised and respected.”

Unacceptable for PSNI to treat hurl as offensive weapon – Paul Maskey MP
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey has said it is unacceptable for the PSNI to treat a hurl as an offensive weapon.
Mr Maskey said; “Sinn Féin raised concerns with the PSNI over an incident where they described hurls as offensive weapons. This was totally unacceptable and we called on them to act quickly to address the concerns. They have now taken that on board and agreed to apologise. We will be continuing to meet with the PSNI to ensure this is not repeated in the future.”

Seán Crowe TD calls for Turkish Government to release HDP MPs and Co-Chairs
Sinn Féin’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Seán Crowe TD, has called for the immediate release of 11 Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs, and the two Co-Chairs of the party, who were arrested by Turkish security forces last night.
Deputy Crowe said: “Yesterday, at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Irish Parliament, I discussed the deteriorating situation in Turkey with representatives of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFJ outlined the extreme conditions that independent journalists are being forced to work under with the closure of 130 media outlets and the arrests of hundreds of their colleagues.”
He continued, “The arrest of 11 MPs and the two co-chairs of the leftist and pro-Kurdish HDP are another dramatic escalation in the crackdown on democratic politics and civic society in Turkey. The MPs and Co-Chairs were arrested in a series of house raids, while at the same time the headquarters of the HDP was raided by police. The anti-democratic policies of the Turkish government are completely unjust, unacceptable, and pushing the country further along the path to a dictatorship. The HDP is the third largest party in the Turkish Parliament and the Turkish Government must respect their democratic mandate.”
Mr Crowe called on on the Turkish Government to immediately release the 11 MPs and Co-Chairs, and to desist from its repressive policies and drop the all charges against these democratically elected representatives.
Mr Crowe concluded, “I will be urgently raising the arrest of these MPs and Co-Chairs with the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.”

Maurice Quinlivan TD welcomes home 1916 flag from Imperial War Museum
Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has expressed his joy that his work for the return of a flag captured from Volunteers in Limerick in 1916 has been met with success. The flag has been returned to the City and is now on public display.
The flag, which was on display in the Imperial War Museum, was captured by British Forces of the 4th Battalion of the Leinster Regiment in Limerick on the 5th of May 1916 following the Easter Rising in Dublin. It has been in the Imperial War Museum on a loan from the Royal Collection since 1936.
Deputy Quinlivan commented: “A Limerick City Museum staff member first made me aware of the flag’s existence in the summer of 2014. I have been seeking its return to Limerick ever since through regular contact with the Imperial war museum. It was always my hope that it would be back in Limerick for the 100th anniversary of the rising. I am delighted that it has arrived back in Limerick today.”
The Limerick TD continued, “I must acknowledge that the museum in London were very helpful. While a number of technical delays prevented the flag coming back for the whole of 2016, it is still great that it is here now. Following confirmation that the flag would be returned, the Imperial War Museum had to then get permission from the Royal Collection, which is owned by the English Queen. So, she is the one who has basically given us back our flag. They agreed to give the flag back to us on a long-term loan, which effectively means that the flag is home in Limerick where it belongs and I would hope that people come and see it, where it is on show as part of the Council’s 1916 display and for the foreseeable future.”
Mr Quinlivan concluded, “Sinn Féin was determined to ensure that the 1916 Centenary is marked in the most appropriate way possible, as a fitting popular acknowledgement of the past but also, and just as importantly, as a pointer to a better future. Many events have taken place and many continue to take place across Ireland and the world to commemorate this hugely important event which gave birth to the free Irish nation. I am delighted that finally this flag has been returned to Limerick where it rightfully belongs. It will serve as a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives and liberty for our freedom.”

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