Sinn Féin’s árd fheis is branded Stalinist

Questions are banned in what’s been slammed as a ‘Trumpif ication of politics’

SINN Féin’s critics yesterday slammed the party as Stalinist and undemocratic as party leader Mary Lou McDonald banned all sections of the media from asking her questions at the árd fheis in Belfast.

Senior figures in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael lined up to attack Sinn Féin’s decision.

Ministers also asked Ms McDonald what she had to hide.

Fianna Fáil’s Foreign Affairs spokesman Niall Collins ridiculed Sinn Féin’s invitation for journalists to observe her as she conducted a ‘walkabout’ at the conference room, and went on to call it the ‘Trumpification of Irish politics’.

It is unprecedented for an Irish political party to ban journalists from asking unscripted questions of a party leader at a national conference.

‘Sinn Féin may have a new leader, but it remains Stalinist and antidemocratic at heart. Sinn Féin is addicted to secrecy and control,’ Mr Collins said. ‘They are not a wholly democratic party and the leader’s decision not to take questions from the press shows they have a long way to travel.

‘Cult leaders don’t like tough questions.

‘It is ultimately self-defeating, of course. If you want to display to the electorate that you are transforming, that you are open and democratic, you engage with questions from the free press.

‘Sinn Féin are shooting themselves in the foot.

‘The free press is a fundamental pillar of democracy. I’ve been going to Fianna Fáil árd fheiseanna and I’ve never experienced reluctance of a Fianna Fáil leader to take questions from the press.

But critics have pointed out that Sinn Féin and Fine Gael have more in common than at first sight, as they cited Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s failure to take questions at a bizarre event celebrating the Chinese New Year.

However, sources in Sinn Féin admitted that Ms McDonald’s decision to avoid unplanned questions was bolstered by bizarre fears that she might be asked questions about a stolen racehorse.

Sinn Féin’s media control plan went badly wrong on Friday when dogged RTÉ interviewer Seán O’Rourke asked the party’s deputy leader, Pearse Doherty, about the racehorse Shergar.

Shergar was stolen by the IRA in 1983 and his body has never been recovered.

A new TV documentary was broadcast about Shergar’s disappearance last week.

Mr Doherty seemed lost for words when O’Rourke asked him whether people should come forward with information.

Mr Doherty then said he thought it was ‘disgraceful’ that he was asked the question by anyone in the first place.

Mr O’Rourke pressed on and ultimately Mr Doherty conceded that people should come forward with information.

Sinn Féin is openly calling on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to enter Government with it. But senior figures in both parties yesterday stated their opposition to ever entering coalition with the party.

‘It’s strange, they spent so many years fighting Section 31 and now that it’s lifted they avoid any press event that they can’t control. Maybe they’d like a return of Section 31,’ said Mr Collins yesterday.

Sinn Féin figures were banned from the airwaves in the Republic of Ireland from 1977 by Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act.

The ban was lifted by Michael D Higgins, when he was culture minister in 1994.

At the árd fheis yesterday, the party decided to impose a whip on their TDs to vote in favour of abortion legislation when it comes before the Dáil.

And they also withdrew their threat to bring a motion of no confidence in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy.

‘Ministers asked what had she got to hide’ ‘Bizarre fears she might be asked about Shergar’