Author Archives: lonirun

‘British must be held to account’ – Martin McGuinness MLA

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McGuinnessThe British government must be compelled to honour its obligations on dealing with the past, Sinn Féin MLA Martin McGuinness has insisted.
Speaking following a human rights conference in Belfast today – addressed by European Human Rights Commissioner Nils Muiznieks – Mr McGuinness said the British Government had consistently denied truth and justice to relatives of victims of state violence.
Martin McGuinness said:
“I greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with Commissioner Muiznieks today and welcome the continued focus from Europe on this issue.
In the past, Europe has been at the forefront of exposing the actions of British state forces in the North and ongoing international pressure is required if truth and justice is to be secured for the families of victims of state violence.
In recent times, we have witnessed families being denied an inquiry into the Ballymurphy massacre, the inaction of the PSNI to investigate the actions of the Military Reaction Force, the call for a public inquiry into the deaths of 18 people at the hands of loyalists in Mid Ulster, the PSNI refusal to co-operate with the Gerard Lawlor inquest, the ongoing refusal to honour their commitment to hold an inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane and the destruction of documents relating to shoot-to-kill deaths just weeks before an inquest was due to begin.
All of this is rooted in the British government’s failure to honour its Right to Life obligations under the European Convention.
It is clear that the British Government fears the truth and I greatly welcome the fact that the Commissioner took the time to come and hear first-hand accounts from the victims of British State violence.
I also impressed upon him the need for the British Government to be held to account for its failure to uphold its obligations under the convention and to end the stalling and blocking, aimed at preventing families from accessing the truth and justice they deserve.”

Cameron not engaged with political process – Paul Maskey MP

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MaskeySinn Féin MP Paul Maskey has welcomed comments made by former British Secretary of State Peter Hain that the British Prime Minister David Cameron is not engaged with the political process in the north or Ireland.
The West Belfast MP was speaking after he and party colleague Pat Doherty MP were in London for a serious of meetings with MPs, the media and trade union leaders.
Paul Maskey said:
“Peter Hain, in an interview in this week’s Irish Post, raised strong concerns over the British government’s lack of focus and the serious impact this could have on the peace process.
His remarks followed similar concerns raised by former Labour Minister Lord Dubs, who urged progress on outstanding Good Friday Agreement issues.
“I welcome the comments by Peter Hain, who is correct to focus attention on the current problems in the political process.
For some time we have had a negative, anti-agreement unionist agenda, which represents a minority of opinion, dictating the pace of political progress.
This has been facilitated by a British government which has been partisan and disengaged for some time. Alongside the Irish government, the British government are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and have a responsibility to ensure progress.
Unfortunately, the current British government has allowed a de facto veto on progress by unionist parties. The British government needs to move away from its partisan approach and encourage unionism to seriously engage in the current talks.
Our current round of meetings in London has revealed growing concerns that the current approach is untenable. There is also alarm about the dangers of playing ‘party politics’ in the run-up to the Westminster election. There can be no horse-trading in relation to the peace process or progressive change.
We need a credible talks process. We need the governments to honour commitments made in the Good Friday and other agreements and we need to work collectively against Tory cuts to the Executive’s block grant.
Sinn Féin is fully committed to this approach, and we urge all of those vast majority of people both in Ireland and in Britain, who support the Good Friday Agreement, to make their voices heard. We cannot allow an anti-agreement minority to dictate the pace of change.”

Need to intensify talks if progress is to be made – Conor Murphy MP

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MurphySinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said today there is clearly a need to intensify talks if any progress is to be made on dealing with the outstanding issues of the Good Friday and other agreements.
Conor Murphy was speaking after all the parties had met with the Irish and British governments for the first time during the current round of preliminary talks.
Conor Murphy said:
“Today was the first time that all the parties have been around the table with the two governments.
The meeting today has been billed as a stock taking exercise, however there wasn’t a lot of stock to take.
To date there hasn’t been a credible talks process. If the DUP is serious they should be sharing papers with all the other parties.
So far we have only received one paper from the DUP.
We need to deal with the issues of identity and the legacy of the past as well as outstanding commitments from the Good Friday and other agreements.
Clearly there is the ongoing threat to the Executive’s budget posed by the year-on-year cuts by the Tories to the Block grant.
There is a need to break the gridlock in the institutions and there is an onus on the British government to honour the outstanding commitments from the Good Friday and other agreements.
There is clearly a need to intensify the talks if we are to make any progress and Sinn Féin will be doing a round of meetings with the other parties in an effort to move forward into a credible process.”

Conor Murphy MP hopeful of talks progress

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MurphySinn Féin MP Conor Murphy has said he is hopeful progress can be made at tomorrow’s meeting of all parties and the two governments.
Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s meetings, the Newry and Armagh MP said;
“All political parties and the British and Irish governments will attend the latest meeting in the current round of talks tomorrow morning.
At this stage in the process we had hoped that such a meeting would be a stock taking exercise. Unfortunately, however, there is not a lot of stock to take at this stage.
Tomorrow’s meeting is an opportunity to begin a credible process.
We are hopeful when the parties come together in the morning that an agenda can be agreed and progress made.
Monday’s debate in the Assembly when Gregory Campbell insulted the Irish language community highlighted the fact that outstanding issues of the Good Friday Agreement, including the Irish Language Act, need to be addressed.
We are entering into tomorrow’s meeting in the positive and constructive manner that we have approached all meetings to date in these talks.”

Week in Review 23-30 October 2014‏

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Week in Review
23-30 October 2014

Sinn Féin team urges `credible talks’ and reasserts commitment `to find a way forward’Murphy
On 28 October Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said that a party delegation led by Martin McGuinness had held its first bilateral meeting with the DUP since preparatory talks began two weeks ago.
Conor Murphy said the delegation met Peter Robinson and the DUP’s talks team `for comprehensive discussions across a wide range of issues’.
However he expressed `disappointment’ that the DUP `has yet to participate in a plenary session of talks’. He called for `a credible talks process involving all the parties, the two governments and the support of the US administration’.
He said Sinn Féin was `committed to finding a way forward’ and planned `a series of meetings tomorrow with the two governments, former Senator Gary Hart, the UUP and the Alliance Party.’
Earlier on 27 November Mr Murphy said that despite entering the third week of preparatory talks, called for by the DUP, there was still `no agenda, no timetable, no programme of work or no structure for chairing.’

    * Public meeting – building a pro-Agreement Axis
    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 speakers and details to be announced, or via fisherj@parliament.uk

Unionist ultimatum on parade holding talks to ransom – Murphy
Conor Murphy last week said that unionist ultimatum over an Orange Order parade in North Belfast continued to hold all-party talks at Stormont to ransom. Despite progress not being made after weeks of preparatory talks, British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers `continues to engage with the DUP on the issue of the North Belfast Orange Order parade’, Mr Murphy said.
He added, `The British government is clearly playing political footsy with the DUP under the table. We made it clear that Theresa Villiers that is a mistake on her behalf and it’s the wrong way to go about this process.
He concluded: `We have held talks with both governments, the Alliance and the SDLP and agreed a meeting with the UUP.’

Sinn Fein MPs continue lobby to highlight the anti-agreement threat to the peace processGildernew
Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew was in London last week where she met a number of MPs and briefed the media, including the Irish Post, on the current political difficulties in the political process in the North and stressed the need to ensure that the pro-Agreement majority in Britain saw a more visible and vocal expression, to exert some pressure on the British government and political parties, in particular in the run up to next May’s election. Ms Gildernew said her meetings had been `very useful’ and underlined the necessity to continue to assert a pro-Agreement axis, particularly in Britain.
Ms Gildernew said she and Sinn Fein’s other MPs would be in London on a weekly basis, and at the end of November would host a key public meeting on the issue in Westminster.

British government must face responsibilities on the past – McGuinness
This week Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has said the British government `must face up to its responsibilities on dealing with the past’. Speaking to relatives of victims of state violence at Stormont ahead of a human rights conference in Belfast next Thursday Mr McGuinness said it had been `a particularly difficult year for many families from across this society seeking truth and justice about the death of their loved ones’
He added, `We have witnessed families being denied an inquiry into the Ballymurphy massacre, the inaction of the PSNI to investigate the actions Military Reaction Force, the call for a public inquiry into the deaths of 18 people at the hands of loyalists in Mid Ulster, the PSNI refusal to co-operate with the Gerard Lawlor inquest, the ongoing refusal to honour their commitment to hold an inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane and the destruction of documents relating to shoot-to-kill deaths just weeks before an inquest was due to begin.’
He said it was `clear that the British government fears the truth.’
He concluded, Sinn Féin `will not tolerate the British government seeking to rewrite their role in the conflict’ and added `there are many differing perspectives on the causes of the past conflict, what happened and who was responsible. We are up for a comprehensive discussion about the nature, causes and consequences of conflict. The question is, is the British government? In all of our deliberations we have sought to put the needs of victims first.’

Homes attacked in Short Strand but calm must prevail – Ó DonnghaileÓDonnghaile
On 28 October Sinn Féin councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile called for calm after two homes were attacked in the Short Strand area with an elderly woman suffering cuts and bruises.
Speaking after visiting the homes which were attacked Niall Ó Donnghaile said it was `yet more evidence of the fallout from the ongoing orchestrated attacks taking place in East Belfast’. He said he had visited two women who had homes attacked, including one in her seventies `who had to receive treatment from paramedics for shock and cuts to her head and feet after glass shattered in on top of her’.
The Sinn Fein councillor said he also attended an emergency meeting of the East Belfast PCSP `which was forthright in its unity and determination to see an end to recent incidents’.
He urged `proactive and joined-up political, community and statutory leadership to face these issues but also resources and support for those on the ground who are working to deal with the issues and make the East safer for all’ and concluded by repeating `all incidents at the interface in East Belfast should end now and residents there should be left to live in peace.’

Sinn Féin discuss welfare cuts with main church leaders – MaskeyMaskey
A Sinn Féin party delegation including Conor Murphy MP, Assembly Members Mickey Brady and Fra McCann and Alex Maskey Chairperson of the Social Development Committee has met church leaders in Armagh today over concerns around Welfare Reform cuts.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Maskey said it was `most constructive and in depth’ and he welcomed the opportunity `to discuss the current impasse on proposed Welfare Reform legislation in the Assembly’.
He said discussions covered the `widespread public concern and confusion about what impacts there will likely be, if the legislation is passed unamended in the Assembly’ and concluded: `All of us at the meeting agreed that tackling poverty and protecting the most vulnerable in our community is the responsibility of all of society whilst the Assembly parties have the responsibility to seek agreement on the way forward in protecting the most vulnerable while also helping to make politics work better for everyone.’

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

Mickey Brady MLA hears of human impact of Tory welfare cuts

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BradySinn Féin MLA Mickey Brady has said lessons must be learned from the disastrous impact of Tory welfare cuts in Britain.
Speaking after attending a NICVA conference on welfare cuts, Mr Brady said;
“This was an informative and useful event on the impact of the Tory-led government’s welfare cuts agenda.
Speakers from England and Scotland explained the devastating impact the roll-out of these cuts have already had on communities there.
It is abundantly clear that the Universal Credit system is simply not working.
While this conference heard about the economic cost of the implementation of these cuts in Britain, more importantly we also heard of the human cost.
Communities have been devastated and families driven deeper into poverty.
Sinn Féin is not prepared to let the same situation unfold here and we remain totally opposed to the Tory welfare cuts.”

Sinn Féin discuss welfare cuts with main church leaders

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A Sinn Féin party delegation including Conor Murphy MP, DSD committee deputy chair Mickey Brady, Fra McCann DSD committee member along with Alex Maskey Chairperson Social Development Committee meet with the four church leaders in Armagh today.
Speaking after the meeting Mr Maskey said,
“The meeting with the leaders of the four main churches was most constructive and in depth. I very much welcomed the opportunity to discuss the current impasse on proposed Welfare Reform legislation in the Assembly.
Our discussions covered the widespread public concern and confusion about what impacts there will likely be if the legislation is passed unamended in the Assembly.
All of us at the meeting agreed that tackling poverty and protecting the most vulnerable in our community is the responsibility of all of society whilst the Assembly parties have the responsibility to seek agreement on the way forward in protecting the most vulnerable while also helping to make politics work better for everyone.”

Sinn Féin team has comprehensive discussions with DUP – Conor Murphy MP

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MurphySinn Féin MP Conor Murphy said today that a party delegation led by Martin McGuinness held its first bilateral meeting with the DUP since preparatory talks began two weeks ago.
Conor Murphy said:
“A Sinn Féin delegation led by Martin McGuinness met with Peter Robinson and the DUP’s talks team for comprehensive discussions across a wide range of issues.
We are disappointed that the DUP has yet to participate in a plenary session of talks. We need a credible talks process involving all the parties, the two governments and the support of the US administration.
Sinn Féin is committed to finding a way forward.
We will have a series of meetings tomorrow with the two governments, former Senator Gary Hart, the UUP and the Alliance Party.”

Growing number raises concerns over Welfare rollout

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BradySinn Féin MLA Mickey Brady has stated that over the past week we have seen a growing body of former and current senior government officials raise concerns over the rollout of feasibility of the Tory driven welfare reform agenda.
Speaking today Mr Brady said:
“Over the past two days both Jonathan Portes, the director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and a former government economist and Professor Malcolm Harrington have voiced concern over the rollout of the Tory driven “Welfare reform” programme.
Johnathan Portes stated that the difficulties in implementing the new system would not be completed by the set date of 2018 while Malcolm Harington in terms of the work capability assessments said; “I realised early on that there was something wrong with the system”.
Further to this Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP and chair of the Public Accounts Committee at Westminster speaking on Universal Credit stated that it was “outrageously weak.”
This however is the system that the Tory Coalition wishes to impose on us within the North.
Sinn Féin have consistently highlighted that this is a benefit system being driven not for change and improvements but on a basis of the ideology of cuts and allowing the most vulnerable to soak up the sins of the bankers.”

Jim Wells should apologise for negative west Belfast stereotype – Paul Maskey MP

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MaskeySinn Féin MP Paul Maskey has said the DUP’s Jim Wells should apologise to the people of west Belfast for negatively stereotyping people from the area.
Addressing the health committee, Jim Wells said; “if you go to a hard-bitten social club in west Belfast tonight you will see six-foot tall men with skinhead haircuts, tattoos and earrings standing outside in the rain smoking, and this is probably the only law they have obeyed in their life”.
Mr Maskey said;
“These comments are absolutely shocking and must be withdrawn immediately.
Jim Wells has painted the people of west Belfast in a totally negative light with this outrageous stereotype.
He also characterised people in west Belfast as lawbreakers.
He needs to publicly apologise for these grossly offensive remarks.
These remarks highlight Jim Wells’ prejudices, not only against people in west Belfast, but against working-class communities everywhere.
He also made disparaging remarks about what he described as lifestyle choices of working-class communities.
Instead of casting aspersions on entire communities, the health minister would be better suited tackling health inequalities.”