Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
29 January – 04 February 2015

Sinn Fein stand for `real change and a transformation of politics on this island’
Sinn Fein London meeting to address `Choices for 2014’ 11 Feb
Sinn Fein National Spokesperson on Workers’ Rights Senator David Cullinane will join party colleagues, MP Conor Murphy and Westminster election candidate Cllr Catherine Seeley next Wednesday in London, to dicuss `Choices for 2014’.
Senator Cullinane, said Sinn Fein stood for transforming politics and opposing austerity, north and south. He said the impact of austerity economics by the previous and current Irish Governments `has been to reduce wages, reduce hours worked, undermine public services and place additional charges such as the family home tax and water charges on struggling citizens. This is unfair, unacceptable and not sustainable’.
Sinn Fein, he added `is about real change and a transformation of politics on this island’. Sinn Fein stood for `a fair recovery, investment in public services, decent pay and strong and robust employment rights’. Senator Cullinane said `a new politics is possible in Ireland and across the EU. Sinn Fein is a central part of that new politics’.
He also reiterated Sinn Fein’s support for a debt conference to address the legacy debt placed on the Irish people. He said Sinn Fein was `committed to quality jobs, fair hours and an increase in the minimum wage.’
He concluded: `Sinn Fein is committed to forming broad alliances with parties and independents to maximise the potential for an Irish Government that is anti-austerity, committed to building a fair recovery and to delivering a republic for all its citizens.’
Party colleague Conor Murphy MP said Sinn Fein was facing austerity attacks from the current Tory-led coalition government in Westminster. He will discuss the recent Stormont House Agreement, and the need for the current and any future British government to engage in a step-change in relation to its commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and for a real and positive engagement in support of the peace process. He will be joined by Sinn Fein’s candidate for Upper Bann, and deputy Mayor of Craigavon Council, Catherine Seeley.

* Choices for 2014, Weds 11 February, 7pm, Wilson Room, Portcullis House, SW1A OAA. Email fisherj@parliament.uk for further information. ALL WELCOME.

Sinn Fein Chair urges talks to build left-wing alliance
Sinn Féin chairperson Declan Kearney last week called for formal discussions to build a left wing alternative alliance in Ireland.
The South Antrim election candidate said there had been `unprecedented upheaval in Irish politics in recent years’ and that `the status quo nationally has shifted, creating the potential for more change’.
He called said that those `on the progressive and republican left need to make that change irreversible by altering the current balance of forces to create a new political realignment’, adding `that will only come about through popular support for a credible political alternative which can effectively challenge the conservative power blocs and their policies’.
He said it was `no coincidence that Syriza had such success in the Greek general election, or Podemos has become the largest party in Spain, and, the SNP is on the rise’.
Pointing to the `stark ideological differences’ which now exist over how Irish society, he said there was a `growing polarisation between the interests of citizens’ rights and community, and those of international banks and capital’.
He said a `new critical mass for change’ was `essential’ and that `political engagement needs to take place among all those genuinely committed to democratic control of the economy, social justice and an agreed, united Ireland’.
He concluded: `As new international political forces move towards governmental power, formal political discussion should begin in Ireland on how to forge consensus between Sinn Féin, progressive independents, the trade union movement, grass roots communities, and the non-sectarian left, which will ensure the future election of a left coalition in the south dedicated to establishing a new national Republic.’
Later, Declan Kearney welcomed the public support of SIPTU President Jack O’Connor for developing an agreed platform among the left. Jack O’Connor set out his position in a speech at Glasnevin to commemorate Jim Larkin.
Declan Kearnery said `those who recognise the need for an alternative political and economic vision and strategy across the island have a responsibility to discuss how that can be brought forward’.
He added: `Sinn Fein believes serious discussion on the left is now required to develop a new economic and political vision for a real Republic, and on the alliances to bring it about. This moment should indeed be seized. It is the way forward.’

Adams speaks with new Greek Prime Minister
On 29 January Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams TD spoke by telephone to the new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
Mr Adams congratulated the Prime Minister on his historic election victory and wished him well in his new position as leader of the new coalition government.
The Sinn Féin Leader also pledged Sinn Fein’s support for Mr Tsipras’s opposition to austerity and for the resolution of the debt burden as a European issue.
Speaking afterwards, Gerry Adams said austerity had `heaped severe hardship on citizens in Greece, Ireland and across Europe. It has seen public services dismantled and vicious attacks on the welfare of working people. It makes no economic or social sense, except for the elites’. He said the current Dublin government was `ideologically wedded to austerity and has shown no appetite in seeking a better debt deal for Irish citizens.’
However, he added `there is still time for the Government to take a more progressive postiion in defence of Irish national interests and that of citizens across the European Union’. He concluded: `The result of the election in Greece has given renewed hope to working people across Europe, including Ireland, that there is and fairer and more just way to deal with the economic challenges that we face.’

Crime agency `robust accountability’ must be at core of agreement
On 3 February Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said the SDLP had `jumped too early’ in a negotiation to create `robust accountability mechanisms’ for the National Crime Agency.
Gerry Kelly said `we were involved in a negotiation on the NCA and significant gains had been made on accountability of the NCA to the Policing Board and the Police Ombudsman, the Criminal Justice Inspectorate and the HMIC.’
However, he added, `the SDLP has jumped too soon, as they did on Patten and gave away the leverage to achieve more’.
He said the issue of accountability was `at the core of the debate on the NCA’, adding that it was Sinn Fein’s view that `the PSNI is more than capable and has the duty to tackle all crime and we fully support them in that endeavour, however, they must be accountable’.
Under this proposal, he said `the British Home Secretary can extend the powers and remit of the NCA without reference to the Executive, the Assembly or even Westminster’.
He said this `opens up questions about the NCA’s relationship with MI5 and other security services’, adding `MI5 have no arresting arm in the North and we do not want the NCA to assume that role.’
Sinn Féin also had problems with the process used to bring this motion to the Assembly, he said, pointing out `the Justice Minister’s name is not on the motion’.
He conluded: `this process was about circumventing the Executive and in my opinion the SDLP should have not been involved in undermining the Good Friday Agreement.’

Sinn Féin will campaign against water charges until they are scrapped
Last week Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Martin Ferris pledged Sinn Fein will campaign against water charges until they scrapped `once and for all’.
He said that Fine Gael and Labour Party had `blatantly ignored the demand of the people for the charges to be abolished’, as he attended local protests against water charges in his constituency.
Mr Ferris said it was `astonishing that this government persists with the imposition of water charges given the level of public opposition to this policy’.
He said the refusal to accept the will of the people on this matter was `a testament to how out of touch they are with the ordinary people of Ireland’, which was `even more infuriating when you consider that deprivation and poverty in this state continues to increase’.
He added, `hard-pressed families will not be able to pay these regressive, unfair charges’ and that `for many it will come to a choice between keeping the heat and electricity turned on or paying for water’.
He said reiterated his assertion that he would not be paying the charges and that he was `prepared to go to jail before I pay water charges’. He concluded: `Sinn Féin will continue the fight against water charges until they are scrapped.’

Fermanagh to host Europe’s first-ever anti-fracking conference
On 30 January Sinn Féin MEP Martina Anderson and MP Michelle Gildernew launched the countdown to an Anti-Fracking Conference, taking place on Friday 20 February.
Speaking at the Lough Erne Resort, Michelle Gildernew MP said it was the `first-ever anti-fracking conference to be held in Europe… taking place right here in Fermanagh’.
She said the Scottish government’s recent moratorium on fracking `proves that more and more people across the world accept that fracking has a devastating impact on the environment, agriculture, health and tourism’.
She said a number of experts on these fields would be addressing the conference, including a key note address from Andy Gheorghiu, author of the Friends of the Earth Fracking Frenzy report.
Sinn Féin had, she said `stood firm in our opposition to fracking’ and that the conference `will highlight how we will continue to oppose it’.
For further information email: nathan_mcglinchey@outlook.com

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

Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
22-29 January 2015

Conditions never better to achieve United Ireland – McGuinness
Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness told party activists last week that the next three elections `offer the opportunity to make a united Ireland inevitable’.
Speaking at the Sinn Féin Six-County Cúige AGM last Saturday, Mr McGuinness said the party had `emerged from the recent negotiations in a stronger position’ adding `our defence of the most vulnerable and our opposition to austerity – whether it is spawned in London or Dublin – was vindicated’.
He said the Stormont House Agreement `was the best deal possible but, like all agreements, it is the implementation which will tell the story’.
Pointing to the coming period, with three `crucial elections’ at Westminster, the Assembly and the Dáil, Martin McGuinness said the elections `give us the opportunity to take more huge strides towards our ultimate goal, to put our struggle on to a new trajectory where the unity of our country and the establishment of the 1916 Republic becomes inevitable’.
He said he had `appealed for an alliance of progressive parties in the coming Westminster and Assembly elections to maximise the representation of pro-Agreement parties’. He added that the SDLP’s rejection of his call `is a serious political mistake and represents a lost opportunity’.
He said it demonstrated `a lack of strategic vision on the part of the SDLP leadership and is further evidence that they are out of step with the voters and the grassroots’. He called again on the SDLP `to seize the opportunity to send out a clear message of support for progressive politics, the Good Friday Agreement and genuine power sharing and partnership government’.
He concluded: `The conditions have never been better for the republican ideal to take root in Ireland. Every day more and more people across the island are endorsing our vision of a better future and a new nation founded on genuine fairness and equality.’

Choices for 2015 and Beyond – Sinn Fein public meeting in London to discuss next steps
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy, Senator David Cullinane and party candidate for Upper Bann and current deputy Mayor Craigavon council Catherine Seeley will address a number of key issues at an upcoming Westminster public meeting on 11 February. Hosted by Sinn Fein, the meeting will discuss the key issues emerging from the Stormont House Agreement, including the next British government to take forward the peace process in its next stages; and the economic and political issues facing Ireland north and south. Taking place a few weeks after the Syriza victory in Greece, the meeting will also situate developments in Ireland in the context of the rise of anti-austerity movements in both Irealnd and across Europe.
The meeting is at 7pm, Wilson Room in Portcullis House, (Entrance on Victoria Embankment). Wednesday 11 February. Further details: fisherj@parliament.uk All welcome.

Sinn Fein Chair: `Don’t take peace process for granted’
On 25 January Sinn Féin chairperson Declan Kearney, who is standing as Sinn Féin candidate for South Antrim in May’s Westminster election, warned that the peace process should not be taken for granted.
Commenting in advance of a trip to the European Parliament, he said that the `political impasse brought about by the British government’s anti-welfare state austerity programme almost led to the collapse of the political institutions’.
This was, he said, only averted by the `serious negotiations’, which led to the Stormont House Agreement. He criticised the British government’s `negative mismanagement’ of the peace process and political institutions and the Irish government’s `disengagement’.
He added: `The success and stability of the peace process is paramount. It and the political process are bigger than the British and Irish governments or any narrow party agenda’.
He said the new agreement could `act as a catalyst for opening a new phase of the peace process based upon reconciliation’, but cautioned `these possibilities will only be realised through implementation of all elements of the Agreement’. He concluded that the international community could play a key role in this, and called for politicians in Europe – and Britain — and elsewhere to assert influence.

Murphy brands tabloid story ‘pure fiction’
On 28 January Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy poured scorn on a story in the Sun newspaper indicating that Labour and Sinn Féin have been involved in talks regarding the outcome of the forthcoming Westminster election branding the story as ‘pure fiction’.
Speaking on 28 January, Mr Murphy said the story was `pure fiction and another example of the lazy, gutter journalism associated with this particular newspaper’.
He said Sinn Féin’s position on Westminster was` very well known’ and that the MPs `work hard in delivering a good service to our voters but we do not take our seats in Westminster’.
MPs had, he said `met with all of the major British political parties in the line of our work as MPs over many years and have made this clear time and time again’. He added `none of these parties have ever asked us over the course of these meetings to support them on the other side of an election’.
He said Sinn Fein’s position on refusing to take their seats at Westminster `has been repeatedly endorsed by our electorate and this remains our position as we face into this year’s election.’

Greek result `a victory of hope over fear’ – Adams
This week Sinn Féin Leader Gerry Adams congratulated Syriza Leader Alexis Tsipras on his victory in the Greek General election.
Gerry Adams said the result `signals a victory of hope over fear’ and that it `opens up the real prospect of democratic change not just for the people of Greece, but for citizens right across the EU’.
Sinn Féin, he said, had backed Syriza’s call for a European debt conference `which is so clearly in Ireland’s interests’, and he had called on the Taoiseach to support this demand `but Mr Kenny has rejected this’.
Mr Adams criticised the Fine Gael/Labour Government for showing `no desire or ability to negotiate in the best interests of the Irish people’, adding `this had resulted in widespread hardship, the destruction of public services and a third of children in this State living in poverty’.
He concluded: `the Government has no mandate for the policies it is imposing. It is time for citizens here to decide on a new way forward.’

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