sinn fein – Page 77 – Slugger O'Toole

“At the end of the day there has to be a realisation from republicans that they don’t own the road”

Pete Baker on August 2, 2010, 9:00 pm

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There’s a lot of coverage of today’s “worthwhile” meeting between Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams and the North and West Belfast Parades [and Culture] Forum. Not that the North and West Belfast Parades Forum haven’t met others before. And as the UTV report notes Forum spokesman Tommy Cheevers said the mood of the meeting was “business-like.” “This is not about negotiating over individual parades but about finding a way forward.” When asked if Sinn Fein should be “prepared to compromise” on the …

“The panel [] is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public from serious harm that Mr McCartney be confined.”

Pete Baker on July 31, 2010, 10:22 pm

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The Irish News reports today that the Life Sentence Review Commission has released Máirtín’s mate, Ronald McCartney, despite the then Secretary of State Shaun Woodward having revoked his release licence in 2008 “as a result of information received from police that he presented a serious risk to the public.” The Irish News report includes references from Maghaberry Prison governor Fred Caulfield of his “very positive view” of McCartney’s relationship with loyalist and republican prisoners in Maghaberry as well as former trade union chief …

“who pull down statues, who deny the history of any place”

Pete Baker on July 30, 2010, 10:32 pm

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With Londonderry keen to capitalise on its 2013 UK City of Culture title, despite the apparent confusion of some, Mark Devenport notes a singular failure of irony by Northern Ireland junior Minister, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Kelly. Rejecting TUV calls for the historic buildings at the Maze to be demolished, Gerry Kelly told reporters in North Belfast this afternoon that the people calling for the bulldozers to be sent in were the kind of people “who pull down statues, who deny the history …

Decency vs. necessity and that big river in Africa

Blank on July 30, 2010, 8:18 pm

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With the discovery of what seem to be the remaims of Charlie Armstrong almost 30 years after his disappearance, Gerry Adams has persisted with a claim the IRA had no involvement in his death. Well, there’s no evidence to suggest that the IRA was involved Of course Adams and the IRA have form for denying involvement in ‘disappearing’ people. Despite (very belatedly) admitting other killings and disposal of bodies, until recently they denied anything to do with Joe Lynskey’s disappearance …

The semi-detached polit-bureau in action

Pete Baker on July 29, 2010, 3:17 pm

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They just can’t help themselves… Mr McGuinness was speaking at the official opening of the first high-speed road link between Belfast and Dublin. He said: “I think Peter Robinson and I will have more good news to announce in regard to the development of the Maze/Long Kesh site. “We have actually reached agreement and we will publicly announce how we intend to take that forward over the next very short while.” As both the BBC and UTV Press Association note …

“£9.7 billion? Well that is truly staggering…”

Pete Baker on July 28, 2010, 11:05 pm

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BBC NI political editor Mark Devenport notes a charmless and, at best, disingenuous party political response to criticism of the “motherhood and apple pie” aspirations of OFMDFM. From the Devenport Diaries Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson is not impressed by some of the carping she has heard from community relations types about the latest Stormont CSI strategy. She wonders “how much of that is genuine or how much of it is about protecting their own positions and funding. There are a raft …

“Lots of it is on the “motherhood and apple pie” level.”

Pete Baker on July 27, 2010, 10:26 pm

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The BBC report tells us that The NI first and deputy first ministers have published their proposals for tackling sectarianism, racism and hate. That would be the long-awaited Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration. And from what I can glean from the consultation document [pdf file] they propose to form a committee “Panel”. As Mark Devenport says about the document Lots of it is on the “motherhood and apple pie” level. It’s good to hear that the First and Deputy First …

“MPs set to cut Sinn Fein money”

Pete Baker on July 27, 2010, 5:11 pm

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Mark Devenport is back in the office. And he’s pointing to a prediction by Newsnight’s Michael Crick following the Speaker of the House of Commons’ response to a point of order yesterday on the issue of the payment of allowances expenses to MPs who do not take their seats. Here’s what Michael Crick posted The Speaker John Bercow today announced he would allow MPs a debate and vote on the Sinn Fein allowances, a subject of considerable anger at Westminster. This …

“The issue of Carson is academic…”

Pete Baker on July 22, 2010, 11:30 am

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At the press launch of the inaugural “Poc ar an Cnoc” Edward Carson Hurling Trophy, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams leaned heavily on the image of ‘Carson the hurler’ to explain what could have been seen as a deliberately provocative gesture “I discovered, much to my surprise, that Carson was a hurler in his days at Trinity College (Dublin),” said Adams at Monday’s launch in Parliament Buildings. “So this man who is arguably the father of unionism was also a Gael …

“Sure you know how it is…”

Pete Baker on July 17, 2010, 9:31 pm

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Before it vanishes into the ether… Earlier this month in the Derry Journal Eamonn McCann offered, what should be, a salutary tale from the recent past In the Sunday World more than 25 years ago, I wrote some of the first pieces to appear in the Irish media about the spread of drug-abuse in Dublin and the human reality of addiction. I covered the emergence of Concerned Parents Against Drugs – and then the marginalisation of the CPAD as armed elements …

“It is part of the outworking of the Hillsborough Agreement…”

Pete Baker on July 15, 2010, 6:32 pm

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Interesting comment yesterday from Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd on the end of the consultation period on the Sinn Féin/DUP drafted Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests Bill [pdf file] – which a significant number of diverse groups are opposing. From the SF statement “This legislation is an attempt to find a better way forward. It is part of the outworking of the Hillsborough Agreement. It is only designed to be about the issue of parades and related protests. Concerns raised by Trade …

What a difference 5 months make

Blank on July 13, 2010, 9:24 pm

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Sinn Féin were very annoyed when Killian Forde left the party and took his Dublin Council seat to Labour: “the seat he won as a party candidate, on a party policy platform, with the support of the party locally and nationally” He was one of a long line of Councillors leaving during their current term, circa 20 making up 10% of the party’s elected representatives at that level. Five months later, for SF poaching a former Green councillor is a …

What a difference 5 years make

Blank on July 13, 2010, 6:35 pm

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In 2005 Ardoyne had exactly the same problems surrounding the 12th of July parade as those that transpired last night (and it has been going on a lot longer than that). Back then, a full five years ago, 80 police officers were injured during what Gerry Kelly described as control being lost for for a time. In that distant almost forgotten, for some, era he fully blamed the Orange Order for creating the conditions that resulted in the violence: The …

“But that money can only be delivered if we deliver…”

Pete Baker on July 9, 2010, 11:21 pm

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Via Newshound. The Impartial Reporter has some interesting quotes relating to what’s been happening on the ground in Newtownbutler. A source close to the residents of Newtownbutler revealed that when [Sinn Fein Councillor and Chairman of the Newtownbutler Residents Association Thomas] O’Reilly brought the proposal back to the residents, he told them that cross-community money was available through the Peace 3 Programme if they “delivered”. According to our source, Mr. O’Reilly said: “Over the past couple of years there has been some talks …

“Wake up”, indeed.

Pete Baker on July 7, 2010, 3:30 pm

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News that the Orange Order’s Grand Lodge has voted to reject the proposals contained in the draft legislation [pdf file] on contentious parades public assembly has prompted a rant about the “Orange State” from Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd – one member of the ‘working group’ responsible for the proposals. But, as we’ve noted on Slugger previously, they are far from being the only group opposed to the legislation. As Eamonn McCann pointed out in the Belfast Telegraph recently In a discussion …

Londonderry SF councillor still confused

Pete Baker on July 7, 2010, 12:44 pm

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Sinn Féin councillor, Maeve McLaughlin, who doesn’t believe Londonderry [And Northern Ireland? – Ed] is still part of the UK, is now complaining that she can’t search the National Archives of Ireland for ‘Derry’. As the Derry Journal reports Sinn Féin councillor Maeve McLaughlin said a number of local people had raised concerns about the website. “I was contacted by a constituent this week who had read in the local press that the National Archives of Ireland had a new online …

“there is therefore no good reason why its Members should not take their seats at Westminster”

Pete Baker on July 1, 2010, 12:03 pm

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As the BBC reports, the government has stated that “Over the coming months Ministers will be talking to all Northern Ireland parties to address how to take the issue forward in light of the views and clear issues of principle we discussed today.” The issue being the payment of allowances expenses to MPs who do not take their seats. As the Deputy Leader of the House, Liberal Democrat MP, David Heath, told MPs yesterday The Committee on Standards in Public Life recognised when …

Chief Constable seeks support for deployment of private security firms

Pete Baker on June 30, 2010, 11:46 pm

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According to BBC NI Home Affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney, at Thursday’s meeting of the NI Policing Board the Chief Constable Matt Baggot will seek endorsement of a plan to use private security firms to replace the estimated 400 PSNI officers currently providing protection for politicians, judges and other potential terrorist targets, and guarding police stations. From the BBC report That backing is essential because the move would require new legislation, and that will only happen if there’s cross-party support within the …

“And then there was Arthur Morgan…”

Pete Baker on June 30, 2010, 8:12 pm

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An RTÉ report notes that a couple of TDs have been disciplined by their parties following yesterday’s vote in the Dáil which resulted in a ban on stag hunting, but not stalking. And Harry McGee makes a sharp observation at his Irish Times blog And then there was Arthur Morgan. Like the Labour Party, Sinn Fein has done a complete U-turn on stag hunting. A motion was passed at the 2009 Ard Fheis calling for a ban on all blood sports. Then the …

Belfast – a tale of three protests

Blank on June 25, 2010, 8:51 pm

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Belfast is protest central tomorrow – for the leftie, libertarian, socialist, republican or just plain serial moaner you are positively spoilt for choice. In the best traditions of protest, you will have to choose because three protests take place separately and are essentially competing. You could join the protest against the DUP/SF drafted bill that would restrict the right to public assembly – Stop the Public Assemblies Bill, leaving the Arts College at 12pm heading towards the City Hall. You …