New Sinn Fein boss aims for unity vote

GERRY Adams’ tenure as leader of Sinn Fein has come to an end, after more than three decades, with Mary Lou McDonald officially taking over as party president.

The Dublin Central representative was officially ratified as the new Sinn Fein leader at a special party conference in the Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, yesterday afternoon.

Around 2,000 delegates gathered at the conference for the historic hand-over.

Mr Adams announced in November that he would be stepping down as president after 34 years in the role.

In her first speech as the new party president Mrs McDonald said she wanted to secure and win a referendum on Irish unity.

“I want us to achieve this with respect, graciousness and generosity.

“Irish unity cannot be a crude exercise of simply stitching north to south and returning to business as usual.

“We do not want a 32 county free state. We want a new Ireland, in which rights are guaranteed, cultures respected and the diversity of our identities embraced,” she added.

She said that as a new generation takes the reins of Sinn Fein leadership it was now time to bring “innovative ways of advancing our politics.”

“Now is the time for fresh thinking and bold ideas,” she said.

“Our focus must be on building Sinn Fein into an organisation that is fit for purpose, and our purpose is to win, to win elections, to increase our political strength, to realise our ambition of being in government north and south... And ultimately to win Irish unity.”