BRIAN Feeney is questioning the ability of Sinn Fein to attract voters in the Republic of Ireland. With McGuinness busy as Deputy First Minister, Adams ineffective in the south and Ferris and Mary Lou not in the same league, is there cause for concern in SF? Southern voters are concerned about taxation levels, but SF policy is weak in this area. Feeney doubts if they care about the devolution of policing and justice. They might care about the Lisbon Treaty, but it hasn’t been an issue north of the border, where politicians can’t exercise any real influence – and even the bulk of those who don’t abstain from Westminster don’t care enough to turn up and vote on the issue. At the risk of stating the obvious, there are very different priorities for the two electorates. So what’s an all-Ireland party to do? Feeney concludes: As Jimmy Maxton, the Independent Labour MP for Glasgow Bridgeton, said, “If you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus.” Perhaps Adams’ low profile suggests others are thinking the same thing…
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