Hard truths for Adams and SF

FOR a political party which espouses the need to tackle disadvantage, unemployment and inequality and to improve the quality of life and standards of living for people across Ireland, Sinn Fein is doing a remarkable job in refusing to take the opportunity to do just that, on two fronts: its immediate rejection of Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster’s proposals to recommence Stormont negotiations and its continued insistence that it will not take its Westminster seats at a time when such electoral influence could temper the worst excesses of Brexit. One of the conclusions which can be drawn from this intransigence is that Sinn Fein is more interested in advancing its own political ‘project’ that in delivering on real issues such as housing, health and jobs, as was so grandly set out by its leader Gerry Adams in a ‘new republic’ “vision” at an annual address at the Wolfe Tone Commemoration at Bodenstown, Co Kildare three years ago.

Instead of delivering on — and worse — even seeking to deliver on, a republican vision for this country, North and South, Mr Adams finds himself again calling for people to go to gardai in relation to the actions of the Provisional IRA, in this instance, in relation to the murder of a thoroughly decent Louth man, Tom Oliver, in 1991. In doing so, Mr Adams has again resorted to what is by now his effectively ‘throwing the gauntlet down to get himself off a hook’ trick. In an interview on his local radio station last week, Mr Adams also said he did not think anybody should be jailed in relation to the murder of his constituent Mr Oliver. So, in effect, he thinks people should report crime, but if it is IRA crime, then there should be no consequences. This is another example of the Sinn Fein leader’s warped definition of democracy.

In recent months, Sinn Fein has let it be known to anybody who cares to listen that the party wants to be in Government here. But people need to decide whether they are prepared to put what Fianna Fail leader, Micheal Martin, today calls an undemocratic “cult”, which believes murderers should not be jailed, at the heart of running the country or to keep them at arm’s length. The skeletons, like that of the murder of Mr Oliver, will continue to rattle out of the cupboards.

Given the enormous challenge of Brexit and the other challenges facing the working people of Northern Ireland, the fact that there is still no Executive in sight after eight months is nothing short of disgraceful. As has been pointed out, the ongoing stagnation in Stormont is impacting on people in Northern Ireland every day, and is most visible in the provision of health and education services, both key components of the ‘vision’ set out by Mr Adams in 2014. Indeed, politicians were powerless to do anything following the recent horrific flash floods in Derry, another shameless outcome.

The decision last week of the Labour Party in the UK to commit itself to continued UK membership of the EU single market and customs union during a transition period from March 2019 onwards also offers a potentially outstanding political opportunity to curb the worst excesses of Brexit. The Westminster arithmetic now suggests that the pro-hard Brexit parties command a slender majority of just three seats, excluding the Speaker, should Sinn Fein’s seven MPs take their seats. Furthermore, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that a sufficient number of remain-supporting Tory MPs would also vote down and thereby end the prospect of a hard Brexit. Sinn Fein has a pressing responsibility in this regard and will not be forgiven lightly or at all, should it pass up on a golden opportunity to spare the people of Ireland, North and South, from the calamities which will surely be visited upon this island in the event of a hard Brexit.