Sinn Fein
The Week in Review
02-09 October 2014

All-Party talks must be free from pre-conditions and threats
On 7 October Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe TD, welcoming the news that the Irish and British Governments were to `resume all-party talks aimed at resolving the issues facing the political process in the North’, and urged Minister Flanagan `to urgently convene these talks and to ensure that they take place in an atmosphere free from preconditions and threats’.
Deputy Crowe said he was `highly concerned that the British government have acted in such a partisan way with regard to the unionist demand to reopen the issue of a single contested parade in North Belfast’ and added `this measure will only encourage anti-agreement unionists and undermine the Parades Commission’.
He said Sinn Féin was `ready for talks and will continue to live up to all our commitments while promoting reconciliation, inclusion and equality. We will, as always, abide by any agreements made.’

Clegg accused of `hypocrisy’ on budget cuts
On 5 October Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy accused the British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg of `hypocrisy’ on the issue of welfare and budget cuts in the North of Ireland.
Conor Murphy, speaking as the Liberal Democrats held their party conference in Glasgow, said it was `hypocritical of Nick Clegg to call on us to implement Tory cuts while he accuses George Osborne of balancing the books “by beating up on the poor”.’
He added, `his own party conference has today voted for a review of several major planks of the Tory cuts agenda including Universal Credit following the disastrous consequences of their roll-out in Britain.’ He said it was `a bit rich therefore for Nick Clegg to call on parties in the North to accept a Tory cuts agenda which is increasingly rejected by his own party.’
Later, on 6 October Sinn Féin MP Francie Molloy echoed the point at a Liberal Democrat conference fringe meeting, pointing out that `growing numbers of people’ were joining Sinn Fein to `campaign against cuts, as they realise the devastating impact they would have’.
Mr Molloy also pointed out `now, Vince Cable has told his party conference that their Tory partners in government are ideologically obsessed with cuts and are determined to destroy public services and the welfare state’.
He added, `This highlights the hypocrisy of British ministers and their cheerleaders within unionism telling us that we have no option but to implement cuts that would drive thousands deeper into poverty when they are clearly divided on the issue. ‘
He concluded: `Sinn Féin is very clear in our opposition to the welfare cuts agenda of the Tory-led coalition which would punish the poor and the most vulnerable in our society.’

* Francie Molloy will be in London on 14-15 October as part of Sinn Fein’s regular engagement in Britain across the political parties to discuss current developments. Details fisherj@parliament.uk

Bill of Rights `vital’ for advance of political process
On 6 October, Sinn Féin MLA and Junior Minister Jennifer Mc Cann called for a Bill of Rights for the North to be brought forward to help advance the political process and deal with contentious issues.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the Transitional Justice document ‘Advancing the Bill of Rights’ at Stormont the West Belfast MLA said that the Bill of Rights was one of the outstanding commitments from the Good Friday Agreement and that it was `vital that we have a Bill of Rights for the North following British prime minister David Cameron’s proposal to scrap the Human Rights Act in favour of his own version of a Bill of Rights’.
She added, `it has long been recognised that in any society which is emerging from conflict that a rights based approach is important to advance reconciliation and respect for diversity’.
A Bill of Rights for the North would, she said, `offer protections and provide a legal framework within which contentious issues or conflicting interests can be addressed’, concluding `we need to build a society which is based on equality for all and protects the rights of all citizens. Advancing a Bill of Rights is key to this.’

Parades decision a capitulation to negative unionism – Kelly
On 7 October Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly criticised British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers for having `rewarded the most intransigent elements of unionism, loyalism and the Orange Order’.
Speaking after Theresa Villiers conceded a demand of anti-agreement unionist/loyalist axis for a Panel into a decision by the Parades Commission to prevent an Orange Order parade passing the nationalist Ardoyne, Mountainview and Dales areas, the North Belfast MLA said it was `capitulating to a unionist ultimatum following their walk-out from all-party talks’. This, he added, `underlines the British government’s partisan approach to unionism’.
He said the panel was `not a mediation body’ and did not meet the criteria set out in the Parades Commission’s determination, which stated ‘what is important is that any structures must have the confidence and endorsement of those most closely impacted by the issues’.
He said the panel did not have the support of the local community and was `disappointed that during the course of Theresa Villiers’ discussion with negative unionism that she did not listen to the views of the residents of Ardoyne’.
He concluded: `This approach clearly undermines the Parades Commission, which is the statutory body set up to deal with the issue of contentious parades. That is unacceptable. Theresa Villiers’ only contribution to this dispute has been to reward the most intransigent elements of unionism, loyalism and Orangeism.’

Sinn Fein launch Alternative Budget 2015 –
Repair, renew, rebuild local communities
This week Sinn Fein’s Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD anounced the party’s alternative Budget, which would `repair communities, rebuild the economy and renew society’. The budget lays out how Sinn Fein would abolish the local property tax and water charges and our programme for investing in disability services, health and education.
Speaking at the launch Deputy Doherty said the alternative budget, once again costed by the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure, `hows how this year’s Budget could start to repair communities, rebuild the economy and renew society’. The budget was `fiscally neutral’, he added `which as Minister Noonan has pointed out would bring Ireland under the targeted 3% deficit for 2015’.
Sinn Fein’s priority, he said was `to reduce the tax burden on working families and low and middle income households by scrapping the property tax and water charges. We would remove all people earning under the minimum wage out of the USC net while we keeping the exemption for households earning under 60,000 and on medical cards.’
`In a full year our tax raising measures would bring in an additional €1.7bn through a third rate of income tax, restoring CGT and CAT to 40%, a 3% betting tax and a range of other measures. However, the net tax increase will be just €263.7million as our measures would see €1.053bn going back to low- middle income workers.
`We have prioritised investment in disability services, through a €202 million package of 11 measures. We would also reverse cuts to the respite care grant and increase the Family Income Supplement. We would tackle the scourge of emigration by restoring the full rate for young jobseekers over two budgets starting with €40 in this budget.
`We would hire 1,000 resource teachers and 1,000 nurses and midwives as well as a fund for other frontline workers as required. On the capital side we would tackle the social housing crisis with a €1 bn injection from the Strategic Investment fund. This alternative would give people a break while balancing the books.
Sinn Fein would also:
Put €800m back into the pockets of ordinary workers through the abolition of the property tax and by stopping water charges
Invest an additional €202.6m in disability services and supports
Prioritise investment in health and education to make back to school more affordable and recruit an additional 1.000 nurses and midwives
Help stop forced emigration of our young people by restoring the Jobseekers payment for those under 26 over two years
Invest €1bn from the Strategic Investment Fund to build an additional 6,600 homes over the next 18 months and create 8,000 jobs
Reduce salaries and allowances of high-earners in the public sector and Oireachtas
Read the full Alternative Budget here.

Sinn Féin `fighting austerity North and South’ says by-election candidate
This week Sinn Fein Candidate for Friday’s Dublin South West by-election, Cathal King, was out campaigning in the constituency, presenting Sinn Fein’s alternative to austerity and commitment to protecting communities. On 4 October, canvassing with the Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness he stated Sinn Féin‘s commitment to `fighting austerity both north and south’.
Cllr King said Sinn Féin was `dedicated to fighting damaging austerity policies which have had a hugely negative impact on the people of Ireland’ and which had `affected the most vulnerable in our society’. Introducing regressive taxes like the water charge, he argued `mean that lower and middle income people will continue to be unfairly targeted’.
Stressing Sinn Fein’s opposition to the charges he added `these are charges which the public have already paid for through their income tax’ and would `affect everyone, irrespective of income, lone parents and millionaires alike’.
Sinn Féin had `a strong record in the north in delivering’, he said, pointing out in 2007 Sinn Féin `successfully reversed British Government plans to introduce household water charges’ saving households from an average of £490 annually.
Urgin gpeople to join the march against the water charges on Saturday 11th of October, he said Sinn Féin were `centrally involved with the Right2Water campaign’ and were also mobilising people in the north on the same day `to rally against savage Tory cuts in a march organised by the community and voluntary sector to be held in Belfast’.
He concluded: `Sinn Féin across the island is united in fighting austerity. A vote for Sinn Féin is a vote against the water charges. We blocked water tax in the north and we’ll reverse it in the south if elected to government.’

Bloody Sunday investigation must not be scaled down
On 2 October Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney said the PSNI investigation into Bloody Sunday `must not be scaled down’.
The Foyle MLA said the Bloody Sunday families had been told that agency staff who were involved in the investigation into the murder of their loved ones had now been withdrawn, `the families are now concerned about the current status of the investigation and Sinn Féin shares those concerns.’
Opposing the `scaling down’ of the investigation, he called on the PSNI `to ensure it is properly resourced so that the families can get justice at long last’, adding `access to justice should not come with a price tag’. He said Sinn Fein would `continue to support the Bloody Sunday families in their campaign for truth and justice.’

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
26 September – 02 October 2014‏

Open agenda and political will needed to reach agreement – Adams
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams TD, speaking this week, has said political will was needed to reach agreement on the outstanding issues of the Good Friday and other agreements.
Gerry Adams said he welcomed the fact that the Irish and British governments are convening all-party talks, who were `coequal guarantors of the agreements which was mandated by the people’.
He said the history of the peace process `whether the Good Friday, St Andrew’s or Hillsborough agreements, tells us there can be no preconditions, threats or preconceived outcomes to the negotiations’, and said the agenda must be `open’ and with `the political will to reach agreement’.
Sinn Féin was `up for these talks’, Mr Adams added, saying the party was `seeking to resolve the outstanding issues of previous agreements, the issues of additional powers and protecting frontline services, and the working of the institutions north and south’.
He said there was `an immediate need for the governments to move ahead to time-limited all-party talks’ and concluded `Unionist parties need to join those talks free from preconditions and the British government should suspend immediately the threat of financial penalties.’
Earlier, on 28 September the Sinn Féin President welcomed Irish Minister Charlie Flanagan’s statement about the all-party talks involving the two governments.
Mr Adams also said that, alongside the two governments, `the American administration can play a constructive and meaningful role in shaping and supporting the talks’ process’.
He said he remained `concerned that the British Government has assumed an explicitly partisan and pro-unionist party stance’ and that it was `clear that the GFA, as endorsed by the people, is the framework for resolving these matters.’

British government must become part of the solution – Murphy
On 30 September, Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy also urged the British government to become `part of the resolution of problems in the political process’ in the North of Ireland.
Mr Murphy joined a fringe breakfast panel, hosted by the pro-peace process group CHAMP at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. The event also heard from British Secretary of State Theresa Villiers.
Mr Murphy said the British government had been `part of the problem in the political process in the North’. They had, he said, `refused to back the compromise Haass/O’Sullivan proposals on the issues of flags, parading and the legacy of the past. It has frustrated investigations into state killings and the state’s collusion with loyalist death squads and emboldened negative unionism by its increasing partisan pro-unionist stance’.
He said it was `time therefore for the British government to become part of the solution’, which it could do `by honouring commitments it made in the Good Friday and other agreements on Acht na Gaeilge, a Bill of Rights and an independent inquiry into the murder of human rights lawyer Pat Finucane.’
He also welcomed the plans for convening of the all-party talks and echoed calls for there to be `no preconditions, threats or preconceived outcomes to the negotiations and as such the British government should suspend immediately its threat to impose £87m in financial penalties.’
On the future of the Assembly, Mr Murphy also urged the British government to transfer fiscal powers to the Executive in the wake of promises made to Scotland after the referendum. He said `we need the transfer of a full suite of fiscal powers which includes tax varying powers needed to increase investment and therefore grow our economy.’

Maskey joins trade union event on `devastating impact’ of welfare cuts
On 1 October Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey joined a panel at a packed event which heard evidence of the effects of the proposed welfare `reform’ cuts. The conference, in Belfast, was organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Maskey said `the devastating impact Tory welfare cuts would have on people here is becoming clearer every day’.
He said the proposals announced by Tory chancellor George Osborne this week included `fresh attacks on families and those on benefits’.
He said this was `further proof that this agenda has nothing to do with reform and is simply an attack on the poor and an attempt to dismantle the welfare state’.
He reiterated Sinn Fein’s opposition to this and concluded: `Sinn Féin is calling on all parties and organisations interested in defending the most vulnerable in our society to join together in a united front against welfare cuts.’
Earlier, on 29 September Alex Maskey had condemned Tory plans to freeze benefit payments which would `create further hardship and misery’.
Elsewhere, Sinn Féin MP Conor Murphy also said British government plans to reduce the benefit cap `would drive thousands further into poverty’.
He said reducing the benefit cap to £23,000 would `create increased hardship and drive more and more people deeper into poverty’.
He added `it is yet another attack on the poor by a cabinet of millionaires with no concept of what it is like to try to survive on benefits’, adding `people are not on benefits because they want to be, but because they have no other option. Life on benefits is subsistence living; it is not a lifestyle choice’.
He also reiterated that Sinn Fein were `totally opposed to these proposed welfare cuts and will continue to stand up for most vulnerable in our society.’

Rallies will heighten tensions – Kelly
On 1 October Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly hit out Orange Order and political unionism plans to bring people on to the streets `as part of the so-called graduated response’.
Speaking after the announcement of rallies in protest at the Parades Commission decision on a section of an Orange Order parade in North Belfast, Mr Kelly said `we need less parades in the North, not more’.
He said the move would `only heighten tensions and is part of a unionist effort to undermine the Parades Commission and put pressure on the British Secretary of State to reward intransigence’.
He said `he DUP, Orange Order and their allies in negative unionism, which includes loyalist paramilitary groups, are more concerned about one parade than entering into genuine negotiations to resolve the outstanding issues around parades, flags and the past.’
He added, `in the past when unionist leaders have called people out on to the streets we have seen a descent into street violence’ and concluded: `There is a responsibility on the organisers to ensure that any rallies or public demonstrations are peaceful.’

`Sinn Féin blocked water charges in the Assembly, we will do the same in the Dail’
Last week Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy said that his party colleagues in the Dail would outline plans to scrap water charges in the 26 counties when in government.
He said the party’s approach was `consistent with Sinn Féin policy across the island’.
He said that as Regional Development Minister he had blocked the introduction of water charges in the North of Ireland and had `ruled out privatisation and made it clear that these public services will operate within full public ownership now and in the future’.
Sinn Féin promised to block the introduction of water charges for households` and that is exactly what we did’, he added, arguing `water charging is a regressive form of taxation that would have placed many households in the North under additional pressures.’
He said `Unfortunately the tired and unimaginative policies of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour see fit to place those pressures on people in the South.’ And concluded `Sinn Féin will reverse the charges in government in the twenty-six counties.’

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