United Ireland 'front and centre' of SF agenda

THE OBJECTIVE of a united Ireland is front and centre in everything that Sinn Féin does, the party has insisted at its annual Wolfe Tone commemoration in Bodenstown, Co Kildare.

West Belfast MLA Pat Sheehan said at the annual commemoration that the party needed to campaign to raise consciousness that a united Ireland not only makes “political, social and economic sense but that it is an achievable objective”.

His comments follow a survey which showed, however, that 52 per cent of Catholics in the North would now prefer to stay part of the United Kingdom rather than in a united Ireland.

At a conference on Saturday on “Uniting Ireland”, party leader Gerry Adams called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to commission a Green Paper on Irish unity and for an Oireachtas committee on Irish unity to monitor and assess progress on its implementation.

The Louth TD and former West Belfast MP said a federated Ireland could be part of the solution.

“Real social, economic and political change is not easily achieved but all those who have a genuine commitment towards building an Irish republic worthy of the name must work together towards that end,” Mr Adams said.

Speaking at the annual oration yesterday at Tone’s graveside, Mr Sheehan said “the objective of a united Ireland is front and centre in everything that Sinn Féin does”.

The former H-Block hunger striker recalled “the heroic sacrifice of our 10 comrades who died on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh in 1981”.

Plans were advancing for a conflict transformation centre at the H-Blocks in the Maze-Long Kesh.

He said the only shrine worthy of that sacrifice is the completion of the struggle for a free, independent, united Ireland. “That is something we must sort out in our time. It’s not something to be left for future generations.”

On the journey to a united Ireland, he said, “the Orange state is gone. Our young people don’t have second-class citizenship on their radar.

“There are more Republicans in Ireland today than at any time since partition. We are giving leadership right across this island. And the signs of change are all around us.” He said that while the peace process had transformed the political landscape, charting a route out of conflict is far from over. Sinn Féin “believes that there needs to be an effective process for dealing with all legacy issues”.

Repeating the party call, he said the Irish and British governments should invite a reputable and independent international body to establish an independent international truth commission as part of a viable truth recovery process.

Backing the party’s policy on a united Ireland Mr Sheehan said “this year has witnessed the greatest political resurgence of Irish republicanism since the partition of our country”.