INTERNATIONALNovember 2020 – February BULLETIN 2021 2021 : A year to show the vision and ambition needed to deliver Writing in An Phoblacht, Sinn Féin President – Mary Lou McDonald TD Marya Lou fresh McDonald TD - in her Newstart Year’s “We need to deepen message - has said 2021 is the time to show the vision and the ambition needed to the conversation deliver a fresh start, saying that weaknesses exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic has made about Irish Unity and the desire for change even stronger. The full text of Mary Lou McDonald’s New the Irish government Year’s message is below: needs to start “The past year has been really hard for everybody and we still face massive chal- planning, because lenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is really important over the coming days the reality is that and weeks to follow public health advice, stay safe and look after each other. However, we cannot afford there is light at the end of the tunnel as the partition - working vaccination programme is being rolled-out. We know that this pandemic will not last together on the island forever and life will start to return to normal in the coming year. is the best way to “For many, the last year has been about re-evaluating priorities. This started during secure our future.” the General Election campaign and has con- Mary Lou McDonald TD tinued since then. “It is hard to believe that the election was almost a year ago. It was an election called stronger because people know things can’t making sure they see their future here in because the Fine Gael Minister for Health go on like this any longer. Ireland and not the far side of the world. faced a motion of no-confidence because “2021 is the time to show the vision and “We need to ensure that when you have the health system was on the verge of the ambition that is needed to deliver a worked hard all of your life that you have collapse; with staff leaving in their droves, fresh start. the right to retire on a State pension at 65 elderly people left to suffer for days on hos- “We need to continue to support people in if you want to. pital trolleys and out of control waiting lists. the coming months so that businesses can “We need to deepen the conversation “We had an out of touch government that re-open and people can get back to work - about Irish Unity and the Irish govern- supported developers and landlords, while but we need to do much more than that. ment needs to start planning, because the working families were unable to afford “A fresh start means being able to reality is that we cannot afford partition - a home, rents spiralled and people who afford the roof over your head, and we working together on the island is the best worked hard all of their lives were told they need the biggest affordable and social way to secure our future. would have to line up at the dole queue at housing programme in the history of “Finally, I want to thank all of our mem- 65. the State - not big pay days for wealthy bers and supporters and our elected rep- “It was the strong desire for change and a developers and big landlords. We need to resentatives for all of your efforts over the better future that saw so many people plac- make homes affordable for workers again last year. I also want to thank our friends ing their trust in us as Sinn Féin received a and out of control rents must be tackled right around the world, particularly in the historic vote and our support has continued head-on. US and Canada. And I want to wish all of to grow since. “We need to sort out our health services you a safe and happy New Year. “The weaknesses exposed by the pandem- once and for all - and that starts with “Keep the faith. We will get through this ic have made that desire for change even treating frontline workers properly and together.” @SFIntDept www.sinnfein.ie @sinnfeininternational INTERNATIONAL 2 BULLETIN Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin vice president OPINION PIECE: One year ago the Executive was restored following nego- tiations and the publication of the New Decade, New Ap- proach by the governments. “the economic The five Executive parties agreed to cooperate on the basis of openness, transpar- impacts of covid ency and accountability and to deliver on health, educa- and brexit have tion and jobs. We made it clear it would not be a return to the status reinforced the quo, it would be a new era of government. need to rebuild Covid-19 changed the way governments work across the world. our economy on a The last year has rein- forced the vital importance fairer, more equal, of having locally elected ministers, working with min- isterial colleagues across the all-ireland basis.” island, taking decisions in the best interests of all. Michelle O’Neill MLA Our communities minister stepped up to coordinate and support the community response to Covid, providing funding to those most in need. Our finance minister acted to make financial support We acted on people’s One year on from New not shirk its responsibilities. available to businesses, rights; lifting the ban on gay Decade, New Approach huge Despite these challenges workers and their families to men donating blood, pro- challenges remain. Many we face new opportunities, help them through this. gressing marriage equality, pledges are still unrealised. where we can shape a new The Executive has shown making plans to ban so- At the heart of the Execu- Ireland for everyone. we can do things differently called conversion therapies tive’s return was a commit- The economic impacts of to what went before. and taking steps to end ment to power sharing and Covid and Brexit have rein- The pandemic changed the holiday hunger. equality. forced the need to rebuild priorities of ministers but The restoration of the po- That is why legislation to our economy on a fairer, we still must tackle disad- litical institutions also meant ensure respect and protec- more equal, all-Ireland basis. vantage, address regional that the north-south bodies tion for the Irish language People rightly expect the imbalance and deliver better of the GFA are back up and and identity is so important parties to work together and government. running. and needs to be enacted as while we have distinctly dif- When The Executive Office The benefits and necessi- soon as possible. ferent outlooks, our shared green-lighted the Magee ty to cooperate across the The British government commitment must be to Medical School it sent a clear island in response to the has reneged once again on provide political leadership, message that this Executive pandemic became abundant- pledges in New Decade, New and deliver public services is committed to tackling ly clear. We must improve Approach and in the Stor- for taxpayers. historic underfunding. When this coordination but it has mont House Agreement to This means looking beyond the communities minister already proved invaluable. deal with the legacy of the Brexit and beyond the union; announced the biggest shake We are also dealing past. It is unacceptable it to a new Ireland with the up of public housing for 40 with the continuing Brexit continues to frustrate fami- whole island back in the EU years it was obvious we are uncertainty. The Assembly lies seeking the truth on the through a referendum on in a new era. successively voted to reflect killings of their loved ones. Irish unity. The Executive moved swift- the northern majority who The Irish government must The future holds great op- ly to resolve the nurses’ pay rejected and continue to also deliver its financial com- portunities and we must all dispute to ensure these front reject the reckless Brexit, mitments in New Decade, work together to seize them line healthcare workers get recognising the harm it will New Approach and ensure for the benefit of everyone. the pay they deserve. have here. the British government does @SFIntDept www.sinnfein.ie @sinnfeininternational INTERNATIONAL 3 BULLETIN ‘Sinn Féin reiterate solidarity with imprisoned Catalan leaders during onlineSinn Féin’s National Chairperson, prison Declan visit’ – Kearney Kearney MLA, and former President, Gerry Adams, held an online meeting with imprisoned Catalan representatives, Oriol Junqueras, President of ‘Esquerra Repub- licana de Catalunya’ (ERC), and Raul Rom- eva, the former Foreign Minister of the Catalan government. Both are currently serving prison sentences of 13 years and 12 years respectively in Lledoners prison, Catalonia. Also in attendance was Marta Rovira, the ERC General Secretary, who is current- ly exiled in Switzerland, and Jordi Solé, ERC’s Secretary for International Affairs. During the meeting the Catalan rep- resentatives outlined the current polit- ical situation in Catalonia following the brutal measures deployed by the Spanish Government in response to the indepen- dence referendum held in October 2017. In particular, they focused on the refusal Gerry Adams, Declan Kearney and Catalan comrades of the Spanish Government to meaning- fully engage with Catalan representatives incarcerated due to oppressive Span- “We urge the Spanish Government to to resolve the continuing political crisis, ish government policies, both were in commence good faith negotiations with and its widespread use of repressive legal extremely high spirits and remain totally the democratically elected political lead- measures. committed to the national and democrat- ership of Catalonia to resolve all critical Speaking after the online meeting Sinn ic rights of their people.