Writing in his latest blog, Sinn Féin National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA has outlined the political challenges and opportunities facing Irish republicans brought about by the changing political circumstances.
The Junior Minister and South Antrim MLA writes:
“This new year and new decade has opened up a new phase of political activism for Irish republicans.
“We are faced with new opportunities and challenges.
“After three years of collapse, power sharing government has been restored in the north.
“The new potential which that brings is very significant.
“However, already this British government has begun to default on its financial obligations to provide the financial investment required to stabilise the regional economy, and secure the future of public services in the north on a sustainable basis, as set out in their ‘New Decade, New Approach’ document.
“And at the same time, Brexit continues to cast a very destabilizing influence over the political process.
“Brexit has swept away all the old assumptions about the constitutional, political and economic status quo. It has dramatically changed the political landscape north and south.
“Only days ago the British state formally left the European Union (EU), while ignoring the democratic will of the majority of citizens in the north who voted to remain.
“The regional and all-island economies face unprecedented uncertainty and instability. Nothing can be taken for granted.
“The Brexit crisis is now real.
“Brexit has swept away all the old assumptions about the constitutional, political and economic status quo. It has dramatically changed the political landscape north and south.
“The debate on Irish unity is growing in momentum. Partition is rapidly running out of road.
“There is a need for us all to discuss and plan for reunification.
“This British administration needs to accept that reality. British policy towards the north must change.
“The incoming Irish government should convene a national citizens’ forum on constitutional change, and begin preparing systematically for reunification.
“Now in the next few days the Southern electorate will go to the polls.
“The results of this general election are impossible to predict, but it is obvious that the dominance of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil has been decisively ended.
“The leaderships of these parties have mounted an intensive black propaganda campaign to try and delegitimise Sinn Féin’s right to be in government in the south of Ireland. Their stance is absolutely hypocritical.
“Just like partition, the efforts of the southern establishment to exclude Sinn Féin from government is running out of road. In the fast changing nature of southern Irish politics that’s a position which is neither sustainable or credible.
“Whether in the aftermath of this election, or at some time in the future, Sinn Féin will be in government in the south of Ireland, and on the basis of a political programme which promotes economic and social justice, and advances the aim of Irish unity.
“Irish politics and society is changing in the north and south of our country.
“The strategic focus of Sinn Féin in this decade must be to harness and drive that change forward, and to popularise and ultimately achieve Irish unity through being in government, both North and South.”
See Declan Kearney’s full blog here
