Voters’ choice is ‘worsening housing crisis’ or Sinn Féin fixing it, Doherty tells ardfheis

The choice for voters in the next general election is a “worsening housing crisis” under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael or a Sinn Féin-led government fixing the crisis “by building homes and reducing rents”, Pearse Doherty has told his party’s ardfheis.

Mr Doherty, the party’s finance spokesman told party members gathered in Athlone on Friday: “We are on the countdown to a general election, and we are setting our vision, the type of change that a Sinn Féin government will deliver.”

He said Sinn Féin plans “to build a better, a fairer country for all, for positive change and for transformation” and added: “In no area is change needed more than the area of housing.”

Mr Doherty said: “The others have had their chance, and they’ve completely blown it.”

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He claimed: “the longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael remain in Government the worse the housing crisis gets.

“We have record homelessness, record high rents and unaffordable house prices.”

[ ‘A matter for the voters’: War of words erupts between Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil over housing ]

Mr Doherty added: “those metrics are all going in the wrong direction” and he said it is “a national scandal – shame on those parties.”

He attacked Tánaiste Micheál Martin for “the cheek to ramble on about Fianna Fáil being the party of home ownership”.

Last weekend, after Fianna Fáil’s ardfheis, Mr Martin accused Sinn Féin of being against home ownership.

Mr Doherty argued: “Neither Fianna Fáil, or Fine Gael, can claim to be parties of home ownership when it becomes harder and harder every year they are in Government to own your own home.

“A party of home ownership is the party that will build affordable homes and that party is Sinn Féin.”

Mr Doherty said the party’s focus: “has to be on electing enough Sinn Féin TDs to form a government without Fine Gael and ... without Fianna Fáil after the next general election so that we can deliver the change that people are crying out for.”

Earlier, party vice-president Michelle O’Neill said public patience with “paralysis” in Northern Ireland’s powersharing institutions has run out and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) “boycott” must end.

Ms O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s First Minister designate, hailed her party’s “victories” in Assembly and council elections which made Sinn Féin the largest party in the North. She promised that “as a First Minister for all”, she would “never treat others the way our communities were treated in the past”.

In the wake of the “upheaval” caused by Brexit, she predicted the fostering of a “new era of Irish-British relations with the spectre of a new Westminster government in London, and Mary Lou McDonald as the first woman taoiseach leading a government in Dublin”, which prompted applause from the crowd.

Ms O’Neill told party members in Athlone that Sinn Féin are “active participants in the profound changes occurring at this time on the entire island of Ireland”.

“The nationalist community in the North, historically marginalised and discriminated against, has achieved what was once thought impossible,” she said. “The old Orange state with its entrenched unionist majority is now long gone.”

Ms O’Neill added: “We have helped shape new realities and created new opportunities for all of us across the political spectrum to come together, and to unite for the common good of the whole community.”

She said “the democratic outcome of last May’s assembly election must be respected” and it is “crucial to reaffirm our commitment to powersharing based on equality, democracy, and ensuring inclusive governance for everyone, regardless of their background”.

She said she is “determined to continue to demonstrate my commitment to representing and showing respect to every section of our society.”

Ms O’Neill said her “biggest challenge” as First Minister would be to “keep our society moving forward”.

Will the DUP finally return to Stormont?

Listen | 47:57

Will they or won't they? DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson must soon decide whether to lead his party back into power-sharing or to let devolution die and direct rule return. The decision he makes will be defining for Northern Ireland, for Unionism and for Donaldson himself. To discuss the forces at play, unionist commentator Alex Kane and Northern Editor Freya McClements join Pat and Hugh. Alex Kane is a commentator based in Belfast. He was formerly director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party.

“This morning I joined other political leaders at a Remembrance event in Belfast,” she said. “I believe that all political leaders must stretch themselves to seek that common ground and that is what I am committed to do.”

The Northern Ireland institutions are not currently functioning with the DUP refusing to re-enter powersharing amid concerns over the post-Brexit trading arrangements. Ms O’Neill said: “It’s vital to recognise the urgency of the situation, with the democratic institutions of the Good Friday Agreement still in a state of paralysis.”

She said the DUP has had “more than enough time” to address its concerns regarding the post-Brexit protocol” and that “public patience has run out”.

“It is now time to see the assembly and executive restored,” she added saying decisions needed to be taken to deal with issues like public sector pay and hospital waiting lists.

She said: “The boycott of the Assembly by the DUP must end.” Ms O’Neill concluded her speech saying Sinn Féin “remain determined to create a bright future ahead for all.”

She urged Sinn Féin members to “get the sleeves rolled” up ahead of “a cycle of critical election contests” over the next 18 months.