Kenny Will Work With Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland

marco murphy

http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=MHKFAUQLGBGB

The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has said if he is elected Taoiseach he would be willing to work alongside Sinn Féin ministers in the North.

Enda Kenny was speaking from Westminster where he appeared to soften his stance towards Sinn Féin whom he has repeatedly ruled out as a coalition partner.

But Enda Kenny says if he is in power after May 24, he would be happy to work with Sinn Féin in government in the North.

"I don't have any difficulty in standing by my beliefs and principles and I'm very glad to see that Sinn Fein have joined fully in the devolved power situation.

Deputy Kenny went on to express his happiness at Sinn Féin's support of policing, adding: "We get on working as politicians for the betterment of both communities in the North and for the development in the community of Northern Ireland as part of the island of Ireland and I see a very bright future there."

Fine Gael as far as I can see have no policy for the North therefore won't get my vote.

yomchi

They were always a pro-union party. For that alone they won't get anythingfrom me. I have to say though, I find Enda Kenny quite likeable for some reason. I reckon, its just that I dislike Bertie so much !

Time Magazine

Poblachtach wrote:

Fine Gael as far as I can see have no policy for the North therefore won't get my vote.

Find their official name and it might help you see what their policy is on the North. Fine Gael - The United Ireland Party.

Also you might want to add " Ministers in the North" to the title so it doesn't suggest coalition in the Republic.

Pro-union party my arse. They seek a united Ireland, but only with the agreement of the 800,000 unionists in the six counties. You know... that democracy thing.

yomchi

Pro-union party my arse. They seek a united Ireland

LMAO!!! I nearly spit my tea over my computer

brianthebard

From the manifesto highlights;

10. Promote peace on the island, work with our European partners and strengthen our international reputation. That means:
- Build on the historic agreement reached in Northern Ireland and do everything possible to realise the full potential of a lasting settlement.
- Support Ireland's role in the European Union while promoting reform of decision making structures and greater dialogue between the EU and its citizens.
- Combat terrorism and ext remism by working with our international partners and promoting human rights.
- Meet our international environmental commitments and work against climate change.

Surely the fact that you have a quote saying FG will work with SF shows that they have thought about the North and have actually got a policy on the North?

Rock Climber

Changed the thread title as it was misleading.

Deliberately so I hope not...

yomchi

thats the actual title on the link. It is a bit misleading though.

The_Minister

I could be wrong here, but didn't I hear one of the Fine Gael TDs say that Ireland should join the Commomwealth? (genuine question, I can't remember the context).

Rock Climber

That was Gay Mitchell a while ago I think.

Avns1s

Of course he will work with Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland. They have the mandate of the people to be in government there. That's a different issue to forming a coalition in the Dail with Sinn Fein down here.

It would be a very foolish Leader of any party / potential taoiseach to say that he / she wouldn't work with the government of a neighbouring country. Full marks to Kenny.

marco murphy

brianthebard wrote:

From the manifesto highlights;


Surely the fact that you have a quote saying FG will work with SF shows that they have thought about the North and have actually got a policy on the North?

Indeed that is a policy, however they are not pro-unity in my opinion.

The Rooster

From breakingnews.ie yesterday:

The Irish Government today faced further calls to rejoin the Commonwealth.

Following appeals in the North's Assembly yesterday for Ireland to rejoin the international organisation headed by the Queen after 58 years, the secretary general of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Dr William Shija, said the time had come for Ireland to embrace the diversity offered by the group of 53 nations from across the world.

Mr Shija noted the vast majority of members were republican nations.

The former Tanzanian minister said: “We look forward indeed to when not only the other part of Ireland but other parts of the world are looking at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association as an association which respects diversity and differences and multi-cultural approaches.

“I look forward to an inclusive process by having more members.”

The DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson and Alliance Party’s Sean Neeson yesterday called on Ireland to rejoin the Commonwealth following recent strides forward in the peace process.

In 1949 the Irish Government under Taoiseach John A Costello left the Commonwealth on becoming a republic.

Eamon de Valera’s grandson, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon O Cuiv has backed the idea of Ireland returning to the Commonwealth in a bid to reach out to unionists.

Nonsense to suggest that FG are pro-union. But they have always been the most vocal party in the south against Sinn Fein's support for the IRA (probably level with the PDs now). Some people think if you're anti-Sinn Fein, then you're pro Union - but thats nonsense.

Time Magazine

Poblachtach wrote:

Indeed that is a policy, however they are not pro-unity in my opinion.

Your opinion is wrong.

Jon wrote:

Ibid wrote:

Pro-union party my arse. They seek a united Ireland

LMAO!!! I nearly spit my tea over my computer

If that made you laugh, here's another for poops and giggles: Sinn Féin are a legitimate political party.

Can either of you explain why, if they're not pro-unity, the party name is what it is?

raven136

Fine Gael has long espoused anti Republican(paramilitary or otherwise) beliefs.Conor Cruise O brien was to the forefront of this throughout the 70's.Its name might mean united ireland but no action or poicy ever has,just like fianna fail stands for republican party and are as republican as ian paisley.

Both parties at most paid lip service to the nationalist people of the six continues and in Fine Gael's case ignored them

Sleepy

The title is as shocking as 'Rabitte will accept Tainiste position in coallition' tbh.

Of course Kenny will work with Sinn Fein in the North. It'll be his job to work with the governing parties of other countries. :rolleyes:

yomchi

If that made you laugh, here's another for poops and giggles: Sinn Féin are a legitimate political party

LMAO I nearly spit my smoothie all over my computer.

Time Magazine

raven136 wrote:

Fine Gael has long espoused anti Republican(paramilitary or otherwise) beliefs.Conor Cruise O brien was to the forefront of this throughout the 70's.Its name might mean united ireland but no action or poicy ever has,just like fianna fail stands for republican party and are as republican as ian paisley.

Both parties at most paid lip service to the nationalist people of the six continues and in Fine Gael's case ignored them

Rubbish tbh.

Even SF have now implicitly accepted that the best method of Republicanism is not by wanton terrorism but constructive agreements with unionists/Britain. You know, that democratic thing I talked about above. Are you saying the Anglo-Irish agreement was not a massive step forward for re-unification? Was the declaration of the Republic not republican? The Balfour Declaration? The Statute of Westminister? None of these things were republican? (Incidentally "republican" does not mean seeking the re-unification of the country through any means possible. It means the re-unification of a republic achieved through republican means. As I said, again, that democracy thing.)

To suggest FG are pro-union is ridiculous. They have the most mature, reasonable method of seeking re-unification, i.e. through agreement. So yes, Gay Mitchell says we should debate re-entering the Commonwealth as a United Ireland to see if it would welcome our unionist brethen to the idea. What's wrong with that? I wouldn't agree with re-entering the Commonwealth (EU for the win) but if it would shorten the divide between Belfast and Dublin let's have a chat about it. It's not pro-union in any manner or means.

Victor Meldrew

raven136 wrote:

Fine Gael has long espoused anti Republican(paramilitary or otherwise) beliefs.Conor Cruise O brien was to the forefront of this throughout the 70's.Its name might mean united ireland but no action or poicy ever has,just like fianna fail stands for republican party and are as republican as ian paisley.

Both parties at most paid lip service to the nationalist people of the six continues and in Fine Gael's case ignored them

Conor Cruise O'Brien was a Labour party guy, not FG

yomchi

And also a member of the UK Unionists

Lemming

For the love of f*ck ... will people get over this pathetic anti-treaty/pro-treaty boll*cks already?

For f*ck sake this is another shining reason why politics in this country is so back to front. Here's a radical thought for some of you. strap yourselfs in. This might be too much to handle all at once .....

We're not in 1922 any more.

yomchi

Lemming wrote:

For the love of f*ck ... will people get over this pathetic anti-treaty/pro-treaty boll*cks already?

For f*ck sake this is another shining reason why politics in this country is so back to front. Here's a radical thought for some of you. strap yourselfs in. This might be too much to handle all at once .....

We're not in 1922 any more.

I think you're reading the wrong thread, this is about FG saying in a press statement last week that they'd work with SF. Now their policies on the north are up for question. Where does 1922 come into it?

Time Magazine

Jon wrote:

I think you're reading the wrong thread, this is about FG saying in a press statement last week that they'd work with SF. Now their policies on the north are up for question. Where does 1922 come into it?

Bad sign when I'm agreeing with a Shinner .

yomchi

hehe there's hope for us yet

Gobán Saor

brianthebard wrote:

From the manifesto highlights;

10. Promote peace on the island, work with our European partners and strengthen our international reputation. That means:
- Build on the historic agreement reached in Northern Ireland and do everything possible to realise the full potential of a lasting settlement.
- Support Ireland's role in the European Union while promoting reform of decision making structures and greater dialogue between the EU and its citizens.
- Combat terrorism and ext remism by working with our international partners and promoting human rights.
- Meet our international environmental commitments and work against climate change.

There is absolutely nothing in there to suggest that FG even aspires to a United Ireland. Garret Fitzgerald has regularly written about his fears that a demographic shift in the North would "de-stabilise" the unionist community. Doesn't sound like the pro-United-Ireland-by-peaceful-means party to me.

John Bruton's government came into power with a ceasefire in place, failed to advance the peace process one iota (Bruton's attitude was typified when he was caught on tape saying he was "sick of the fu€k1ng peace process") and left government with the ceasefire broken.

Garret's government was particularly ineffective - they set up the Anglo-Irish agreement to marginalise Sinn Fein and consistently refused to even talk to the party - it took Juhn Hume and Albert Reynolds to realise that the only way to peace was to talk to the people who weren't at peace and figure out was a peaceful solution possible. Contrary to every instinct in Fine Gael, it was. Doh!

Liam Cosgrave's government specialised in heavy duty repression of Republicans. This was the era of the Heavy Gang in the Gardai, suspects falling down stairs in Garda stations, hardened terrorists giving "voluntary" confessions and then beating themselves up to discredit the confessions, Frank Staggs body not being released to his family and buried under a pile of concrete, Minister Donegan's drunken rant at President O'Dalaigh because he had the "cheek" to refer the government's emergency legislation to the supreme court. That kind of thing.

In short, Fine Gael by instinct and nature are a pro union, anti United Ireland party. It doesn't matter what the official name of the party is, actions speak louder than words.

yomchi

very good post indeed