Sinn Féin National Party Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA has written today in a blog in An Phoblacht about the party’s plans for People’s Assemblies which will be convened in the New Year. The People’s Assemblies will be held in Ireland and internationally “to give the global Irish diaspora a voice on shaping the future of our island”.

“The New Ireland must be for everyone,” he said.

Declan Kearney said:

“In early 2022, Sinn Féin will begin to convene People’s Assemblies, inviting citizens and civic sectors to have their say on the new Ireland. This initiative will be a key contribution from our party to help grow the political momentum for Irish unity.

“We intend to organise these People’s Assemblies in Ireland, and also internationally to give the global Irish diaspora a voice on shaping the future of our island.

“Of course, this Irish government should already have established a national Citizens’ Assembly on constitutional change. Our 18-month long process of engagement, culminating in a published report, is not a substitute for such a Citizens’ Assembly.  Instead it will provide a positive impetus. 

“There is no justification for the Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Green Party coalition government’s failure. Its policy of refusing to prepare for Irish unity is no longer sustainable. 

“A Sinn Féin government in the South of Ireland would immediately redress that democratic deficit.” 

Addressing the place of unionists Declan Kearney said:

“A defining watershed in British, Irish and European relations has opened up. Some from a British identity and unionist tradition have begun to reassess what this means. 

“Significantly, others within civic unionism are refusing to have their horizons limited by the ‘orange card sectarian politics’ of right-wing unionism.

“They want a future built on modern, pluralist values, and quite reasonably perceive Irish unity as a way back into the EU. A progressive, prosperous society, with constitutionally guaranteed rights, is common ground for us all.” 

Mr Kearney added: 

“Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil created Ireland as it has been. Sinn Féin looks beyond Ireland as it is… towards what it can become. But there is a need to plan, and create alliances and coalitions for such change.

“The new Ireland must be for everyone, regardless of creed, culture, ethnicity, tradition, or sexual orientation. We need to learn from those other mass popular campaigns, like Marriage Equality and Repeal the 8th which inspired transformational social change. Today Irish unity can be another powerful moderniser in our society.” 

Read the full blog here: www.anphoblacht.com/contents/28202