The Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle is to meet in Dublin tomorrow when, according to the official statement, “Gerry Adams will brief the party leadership on the talks which took place at St. Andrews in Scotland last week.”.. and discuss the party’s consultation process.. Will they also attempt to answer a certain, quick, question?.. not if Gerry Kelly’s statement to the BBC’s Spotlight programme, broadcast last night, still stands – “We wanted to get to the point where we could put a proposition to an Ard Comhairle – we have not reached that.” UpdateGiven the rapid thread drift away from the actual topic.. here’s a reminder from Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
“Again let me be very clear about Sinn Féin’s position on policing. Sinn Féin is for proper civic, democratic and accountable policing. What we are against is bad policing and bad law and order. What we are against is political policing, counter-insurgency policing, policing as a weapon of war, which has been the norm in the Six Counties for generations. Sinn Féin is about changing all of this and we have made huge progress in recent years. The issue before is whether policing in the Six Counties has reached a stage where it can enjoy the support of all the community. Our job is to resolve all of the outstanding matters and to create a proper policing service. It will be the PSNI’s job to prove themselves to the community. But we want to see rapid progress made on this issue. We believe such progress is possible. When this happens, and in the right context, Uachtarán Shinn Féin Gerry Adams will go to the party’s Ard Chomhairle to ask them to call a special Ard Fheis on the matter. It will then be the membership of Sinn Féin that will decide our position.”
10th November, Caoimhghín.. tick tock