Click on the topics below to see the motions for the 2012 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis
This Ard Fheis:
• Notes the establishment of a Constitutional Convention and the important and significant task of this convention;
• Reaffirms our belief that there is clearly a need for, and a value in, radical and far-reaching reform to the Constitution and commit ourselves to working towards an entirely new Constitution as the cornerstone of a New Republic;
• Recognises that this process allows an opportunity to build on the Good Friday Agreement, in particular regarding the convening of an All-Ireland Parliamentary Forum, an All-Ireland Consultative Civic Forum, and especially the agreement of an All-Ireland Charter of Rights, and calls on the Irish Government to guarantee that the Constitution that will come as a result of this process will be without prejudice to the Agreement, its spirit, and its provisions.
Therefore, this Ard Fheis believes:
i. The inclusion of enumerated socio-economic rights is absolutely essential for any future Constitution and that it must contain all the modern equality and human rights protections that reflect the full spectrum of our international obligations and any others that are necessary to establish a rights-based society;
ii. The Constitutional Convention process must be fully inclusive in its composition and in the manner in which people participate. In particular, the Constitutional Convention should ensure that the participants are fully representative as possible across class, gender, ethnicity, nationality, orientation, age, religious, language and disability lines as is possible, and that the process is designed to facilitate the participation of as broad a cross-section of Irish society as is possible;
iii. The Constitutional Convention must include citizens of the Six Counties - whether unionist, nationalist or other - and the Diaspora in this process;
iv. The Convention’s process must also be fully public, transparent and accountable, from discussion of terms of reference to appointments and from the debates to conclusion of recommendations, as well as being cost-effective and representing value for money for the public.
This Ard Fheis further believes:
• The outcome of such a process must be robust, comprehensive and durable and that rushing the process in an artificial 12-month timeframe is unnecessary and would be a mistake;
• While the issues identified for inclusion thus far are positive, the Convention must consider in its deliberations as broad a range of topics, issues, and provisions as is possible, including in particular (but not limited to) the need for express guarantees of economic and social rights, the extension of voting rights for Northern citizens and citizens in the Diaspora, and the architecture necessary to establish a more robustly inclusive, fully representative and accountable democracy with mechanisms for direct participation.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis believes that gender quotas are insufficient in addressing the reasons behind the lack of female participation in Irish politics and believes that greater steps must be taken to address the gender imbalance within our political system.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis re-affirms its commitment to see the timely completion of the Review of Public Administration (local government reform in the Six Counties), a reform process which will see the embedding of equality, participative democracy, subsidiarity, effectiveness and efficiencies into local government administrations. Future local government services need to be delivered in a manner providing equality of access for all and at as local a level as functionally feasible.
Future local government structures and governance arrangements will need to provide for full participative democracy, both for the elected representative and representatives from the community and voluntary sector via the function of community planning. The function of planning being transferred to local government will help local citizens and communities to more actively participate within the planning regime. This planning function must have strong codes of ethics and checks and balances embedded within. Citizens must be fully facilitated in ‘place shaping’ within new local government arrangements.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to introduce local government reforms aimed at devolving waste management, planning, roads, water supply, economic development and housing powers back to local authorities in the 26 Counties.
Ard Chomhairle
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
a) Notes the good work done by town councils in protecting and advancing the democratic interests of their residents. We consider that this basic democratic tier of representation should be extended to all residents throughout the 26 Counties so that they can have their interests protected by a local rural, urban or town council operating for their immediate area;
b) Reaffirms Sinn Féin’s opposition to the impending merger of Limerick City and Limerick County Councils;
c) Also opposes plan by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to amalgamate the South and North Tipperary County Councils.
Clancy/O’Callaghan Cumann
Limerick City
Connolly/Plant Cumann
South Tipperary
This Ard Fheis calls for the creation of a democratic socialist republic as a means of ending the broken and corrupt system of politics that have dominated this state since its creation.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis rejects the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government’s policy choice of austerity and cutbacks by financially punishing the people of this country who were not responsible for the financial crisis.
Sinn Féin calls for a Constitutional amendment to Article 39 (The Treason Act) to include: “Acting in a manner injurious to the financial and economic sovereignty of this state.”
William Brock Cumann
Co. Laois
Recognising the need for job and wealth creation, this Ard Fheis calls on the Assembly to prioritise the decentralisation of departmental and governmental services and functions to the North West region of the Six Counties.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
Gaeilge, Arts and Culture
This Ard Fheis commends:
a) The work of Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilin in the promotion of the Irish language and the Irish-language strategy which is currently being brought forward by her department;
b) Her intent to pursue the creation of an Irish Language Act as a priority and the provision of resources necessary for its full implementation;
c) The minister for bringing forward the Líofa 2015 initiative which aims to create more Irish speakers by 2015 and calls on Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan to bring forward a similar initiative in the 26 Counties.
Ard Chomhairle
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
Con Colbert Cumann
Athea, Co. Limerick
Go gcreideann an Ard Fheis seo gur cheart Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga a choinneáil ag feidhmiú go neamhspleách mar atá, gur chóir don Rialtas na moltaí a rinne sé ina thuarascálacha bliantúla a chuir i bhfeidhm agus acmhainní cuí a chuir ar fáil do chun sin a dhéanamh.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis:
a) Supports the community campaigns to promote the Irish language by erecting Irish-language street signs and promoting Irish placenames and congratulates councillors and party activists on work done on this to date;
b) Calls on all Sinn Féin councillors to promote a bilingual street signage policy in their area and local cumainn to work to ensure that residents are surveyed in areas where there is a demand for Irish-language street signage.
Gerard Casey Cumann
Rasharkin, North Antrim
This Ard Fheis proposes that Sinn Féin works to facilitate the development of larger geographic radio licences for Irish-language radio stations and seeks to develop a new all-Ireland, Irish-language radio station.
Doherty/Delaney Cumann
Navan, Co. Meath
This Ard Fheis, noting that we are approaching the centenary of 1916, calls for the designation in Dublin of Moore Street, O’Rahilly Parade, Moore Lane, Henry Place and O’Connell Street (including the GPO) as an historic and cultural quarter and national monument.
The potential of such a development would be immeasurable not only in achieving a better cultural, historical and educational appreciation of the period but also in terms of constructing a lasting memorial to the 1916 Rising which could become a major visitor attraction in the capital.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis welcomes the historic decision to bring Fleadh Ceol to Derry in 2013 and commends those involved for bringing this event to Derry.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis calls for increased support, investment and enhancement of our historic walled towns.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis calls on Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to invest in, enhance, and promote the tourism product in the East Cork area with a view to creating and sustaining jobs in the locality.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis - recognising the potential of GAA tourism and the unique, indigenous product that is Gaelic games - calls on all elected representatives to promote and develop Gaelic games tourism and for Tourism Ireland, NITB and Fáilte Ireland to incorporate the activities of the GAA into their marketing strategy.
North Antrim Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis:
a) Recognises that tourism on the north coast has yet to realise its full potential economically and calls on tourism agencies to market the north coast as a single area from Donegal to North Antrim;
b) Calls on both administrations to ensure that the infrastructure leading to the north coast (including the A26, A5, A6 and Atlantic corridor) is upgraded to a high standard to reduce journey times to the north coast.
North Antrim Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis calls on the ministers with responsibility for tourism and national tourism bodies to develop, invest in and promote our indigenous seaside resorts, particularly for the domestic market, in a co-ordinated and imaginative manner.
Shortis/Scanlon Cumann
Co. Kerry
This Ard Fheis supports the return of all national archives and artefacts currently held in museums and other repositories overseas.
O’Carolan/Kilmartin Cumann
Dungiven
This Ard Fheis calls for the promotion of our Celtic heritage at national and European level for the following purposes:
a) Uniting the Celtic people;
b) Promoting an understanding rural Celtic settlement patterns and the rural way of life.
c) Promoting tourism and organic farming;
d) Defending rural communities under sustained attack.
Costello/Hurson Cumann
Athlone, Co. Westmeath
This Ard Fheis recognises the important role small community libraries play, and commends Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilin MLA for her work in retaining small rural libraries and defending their opening hours.
Kieran Nugent Cumann
Carnlough, Co. Antrim
Peace Process and Irish Unity
This Ard Fheis reaffirms our commitment to an all-Ireland representative democracy.
We will continue to work and campaign for:
• The exercise of the right to national self-determination;
• National territorial reunification;
• Political independence and sovereignty.
This Ard Fheis:
Calls on Irish republicans and democrats of all parties and none and on the Irish Diaspora to support steps and measures to advance and gain support for national and democratic rights.
a) We call on the Irish Government to maximise the use of the forthcoming Constitutional Convention towards these ends and to ensure the convention’s terms of reference allow for this. The objective should be visionary in perspective so as to shape a fully inclusive Ireland for the 21st century which embraces all the children of the nation equally;
b) We call on the Irish Government to commission a Green Paper on Irish Unity to set out the benefits of national unity and the steps towards this end;
c) We recognise the centrality to this objective of a process of national reconciliation and call on all involved throughout Ireland in this decade of centenary commemorations to use these events to that end.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis - without prejudice to the nation’s right to national self-determination - calls on the British Government to fulfil its commitment under the Good Friday Agreement and to set a date for a ‘Border Poll’.
Cúige Uladh
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
Irish unity needs to be developed at a community organisation level. Sinn Féin encourages its members and the community at large to join all-Ireland representative organisations and groups where they exist, as opposed to partitioned organisations. Where none exist, that Sinn Féin encourages its members and the community at large to encourage any organisations of which they are members to become all-Ireland in nature and merge with their Northern or Southern counterpart where possible.
Doherty/Delaney Cumann
Navan, Co. Meath
This Ard Fheis endorses the work of the Border Corridor Group and other all-Ireland initiatives and encourages all activists and elected representatives to work together on an all-Ireland basis, promoting cross-border co-operation and co-ordination.
Doherty/Delaney Cumann
Navan, Co. Meath
This Ard Fheis commends the leadership of Sinn Féin’s team in the power-sharing Assembly and Executive in developing and strengthening the Peace Process, and all of the related political and accountability institutions that have flowed from the Good Friday Agreement.
This Ard Fheis calls for the full implementation of outstanding aspects of the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements.
In particular, this Ard Fheis:
a) Repeats Sinn Féin’s demands for the introduction of a new Bill of Rights in the Six Counties alongside equivalent human rights protections in the 26 Counties and for the adoption of an all-island Charter of Rights that will enshrine and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens - the introduction of fully enforceable and effective socio-economic rights should be central to all such provisions;
b) Supports - as envisaged in the Good Friday and St Andrews Agreements - the establishment of the All-Ireland Inter-Parliamentary Forum and an All-Ireland Civic Consultative Forum, and calls for completion of the process to give effect to both;
c) Recognises the good work and value of the six all-Ireland implementation bodies created as a result of the Good Friday Agreement and supports the expansion of the these bodies and areas of co-operation;
d) Calls for publication of the review of all-Ireland implementation bodies established under the St Andrews Agreement.
Ard Chomhairle
Omagh Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis:
a) Recognises the centrality of intensified dialogue with the wider unionist and Protestant community to building an authentic reconciliation process;
b) Understands that deep suspicion remains within unionist communities towards republicans due to the legacy of the conflict - real hurt exists on all sides;
c) Recognises that the process of uniting Ireland must be based on increased understanding and mutual respect by reaching out, healing differences, and creating trust with unionists and Protestants;
d) Believes that through increased dialogue, listening unconditionally, and with compassion and imagination, we can forge a reconciliation process with the capacity to heal the hurt in Irish society and powerfully advance the political process.
Ard Chomhairle
Cúige Uladh
This Ard Fheis:
• Endorses the principle of truth as a prerequisite for justice;
• Rejects the proposal that truth recovery for the entire victims and survivors community can be accomplished by the Historical Enquiries Team (HET), which is confined to reviewing old RUC files;
• Acknowledges the pain of all the victims of the conflict;
• Reaffirms Sinn Féin’s commitment to a reconciliation process that acknowledges and addresses the suffering of all the victims and survivors of violence arising from past conflict;
• Upholds the rights of all families to truth and justice.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) Equality of treatment for all victims and survivors and an end to practices that discriminate against victims of state violence and collusion;
b) Adequate resourcing and funding by both governments to enable victims groups to pursue their remit;
c) International best practice to support the development of special community-based initiatives, including trauma and counselling services.
This Ard Fheis reiterates its commitment to an independent international truth recovery process that:
• Is victim centred;
• Recognises that there can be no hierarchy of victims;
• Will deliver the truth to families bereaved as result of the conflict;
• Encourages all relevant parties to participate in and contribute to the process.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls for continued support and solidarity for those families bereaved as a result of collusion and state murder. One practical way would be to facilitate a series of information days for families to update elected representatives at local council, Assembly, Dáil and Westminster levels as well as the European Parliament.
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis calls for the immediate and full disclosure of all files from the necessary authorities relating to the murder of IRA Volunteer Gerard Casey and extends solidarity to all the families of the victims of collusion who continue to search for the truth about what happened to their loved ones.
Gerard Casey Cumann
Rasharkin, North Antrim
This Ard Fheis commends the significant achievements of republican political strategy and applauds the continued growth in the political strength of Sinn Féin, North and South.
We reaffirm our ability to achieve a united Ireland on the basis of peaceful, political and democratic strategies.
Others on the edges of nationalism continue to oppose the Peace Process and republican strategy. We absolutely refute the use of armed or violent methods to do so.
This Ard Fheis recognises the importance of engagement with all those who oppose the Peace Process and republican strategy by militarist or political means. We recommit ourselves to continue to politically seeking to influence an end to all armed actions and address political opposition to the wider Peace Process.
Cúige Uladh
This Ard Fheis:
a) Calls on district councils in the Six Counties to adopt a policy of equality or neutrality in regard to flags and emblems;
b) Regrets the decision of Ballymena Council to erect unionist flags and emblems in the local Arts Centre;
c) Commends the work of our local councillors who are striving to introduce equality measures into councils across the North.
North Antrim Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis:
a) Commends the work of the residents’ association in Rasharkin;
b) Recognises that the refusal of parade organisers to engage in dialogue about parade disputes is damaging community relations across the North;
c) Calls on the Parades Commission to ensure that flags and bannerettes of the UVF and UDA are banned from communities that have a mainly nationalist demographic.
North Antrim Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis notes the ‘Justice for an Ireland of Equals’ (the Sinn Féin all-Ireland justice and community safety draft policy document) and tasks the policing and justice advisory groups, North and South, to convene an event for party members on the development of this policy.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis:
a) Acknowledges the contribution of both party and community activists who served both the party and their community in the role as Policing Board or District Policing Partnership members over the past four years, either as political appointees or independent members;
b) Conveys our support and best wishes to party members and community activists who have either been appointed to the Policing Board or applied for membership of the new Policing and Community Safety Partnerships (PCSPs) soon to be established in the Six Counties;
c) We note that particular deficiencies exist with respect to policing strategy, planning and resource deployment in rural areas. We support the formation of Rural Community Safety Forums as a specific measure to improve policing strategy, operational arrangements and accountability within rural communities;
d) We also commend the development throughout the Six Counties of multi-agency initiatives that empower local people to promote safer communities and call for PCSPs to support and resource these initiatives.
Cúige Uladh
Kevin Lynch Cumann
Park/Craigbane, Co Derry
This Ard Fheis condemns, and calls for an immediate and complete ending of, the regressive practice of rehiring retired police officers who have been in receipt of the ‘Patten’ severance package as agency, associate, managed service or other staff.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls on the new, incoming Police Ombudsman as a priority to rebuild community confidence and trust in their office as a key accountability mechanism for holding the Chief Constable and the Police Service to account in a transparent and credible manner so essential to consolidating the new policing dispensation.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis reaffirms its total opposition to the use of plastic bullets under any circumstances.
Cúige Uladh
This Ard Fheis opposes the use of revocation of licences to imprison former life sentence prisoners Martin Corey and Marian Price and calls for their immediate release.
This Ard Fheis calls on the British Government to adhere to its commitment under Paragraph 20 of the Weston Park Agreement, which represents an explicit and unambiguous commitment not to pursue a conviction against anyone who would, if convicted, stand to benefit from the early-release scheme that arose from the Good Friday Agreement. This Ard Fheis therefore calls for the immediate release of Gerry McGeough.
Ard Chomhairle
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis welcomes the publication of the ‘Report of the Prison Review Team’ established after Hillsborough 2010 and calls on the Department of Justice to implement its recommendations in full: to immediately end strip-searching in prisons and to introduce any measures to ensure the humane and dignified treatment of prisoners.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis welcomes:
a) The Criminal Justice Inspectorate’s report into avoidable delays in the justice system and calls on the Department of Justice to take the necessary steps to improve both access to justice and the efficiency of the judicial process.
b) Publication of the ‘Review of Youth Justice’ and calls on the Department of Justice to work with the partner groups to ensure that the youth justice system progresses in line with international best practice.
Ard Chomhairle
In order to try and reduce the levels of knife crime, this Ard Fheis calls for the introduction of stricter sentencing for those arrested in possession of a knife where there is clear evidence of intent to use it to cause bodily harm.
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to reinstate the ‘Dial to Stop Drug Dealing’ freephone number, a service that had a significant role to play in the fight against drugs, providing An Garda Síochána with quality information. Its amalgamation with the ‘Crimestoppers’ number is a backward step in the building of trust between the Garda and communities under pressure from drugs gangs.
Countess Markievicz Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis is conscious of reports from various legitimate charities and not-for-profit groups struggling to deal with the collection of clothes by bogus collectors impersonating charitable groups and calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to introduce legislation requiring all such collections to be licensed and to criminalise the act of posing as a group with charitable status to secure donations of goods, funding or other profit-making actions
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis reaffirms Sinn Féin’s commitment to doing all that we can to highlight and tackle the issue of racism within Irish society.
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis notes that:
• To date, the victims and survivors of Magdalene institutions have not received an apology from the state or the Catholic Church;
• The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and the UN Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) have made recommendations that the state provide redress and facilitate restorative justice;
• To date, the state has refused to act on these recommendations;
• Serious anomalies exist with regard to the exhumation of remains from the High Park laundry in Drumcondra, where 155 remains were discovered with death certificates identifying only 75 women;
• Many women interred in Magdalene Laundries are still denied the most basic tenet of human dignity of a name on a gravestone;
• Many Magdalene survivors are ageing and are vulnerable.
This Ard Fheis supports:
• The work of Justice for Magdalenes and other groups representing survivors of Magdalene Laundries;
• The ‘Flowers for Magdalenes’ initiative as remembering those who so often are forgotten.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) An immediate apology from the state and the Catholic Church;
b) Swift action from the Fine Gael /Labour Party Government on the IHRC and UNCAT recommendations;
c) A full explanation from the Department of Justice with regard to the High Park graves anomaly;
d) The ‘Flowers for Magdalenes’ initiative to be made an annual event and extended to other gravesites across the country in an effort to remember and commemorate the lives of all women who passed through Magdalene Laundries and their children.
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis supports the rejection of the Austerity Treaty and encourages Sinn Féin members to work, where possible, with other left and progressive forces to reject the treaty.
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
Sinn Féin expresses its solidarity with the people of Greece and deplores the harsh austerity measures being forced upon them, measures falling most heavily on ordinary working people and the most vulnerable in society, seriously damaging Greek society, and we affirm our determination to continue to oppose such measures in Ireland which increase inequality and poverty in pursuit of a failed economic strategy.
Patrick Cannon Cumann
Donaghmede, Dublin
Charles Kickham Cumann
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
This Ard Fheis calls for the party to initiate an internal and external debate regarding the creation of a better Europe and Ireland’s place in it.
Given that the current economic crisis is in large part created by flaws inherent in the single currency and its management by the ECB, the lack of democracy around the re-run referenda and the continued diminution of sovereignty of EU member states, the argument that “Another Europe is possible” and the proposed shape of that Europe must be put forward.
Joe McDonnell Cumann
Drumkeeran, Co. Leitrim
This Ard Fheis:
a) Calls on the European Union to suspend the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia so long as basic human rights standards are not being met;
b) Commends the efforts of MEPs from the European United Left/Nordic Green Left Confederal Group (GUE/NGL) in leading initiatives in the European Parliament aimed at promoting workers’ rights in Colombia while highlighting continuing systematic attacks, harassment and assassination of Colombian trade unionists.
Fergal O’Hanlon/John Davey Cumann
Lavey, Co. Derry
This Ard Fheis:
• Expresses its ongoing solidarity with the people of Palestine and all the victims of the conflict and their families;
• Congratulates those Sinn Féin activists who were part of the most recent flotilla to break the siege of Gaza. We condemn the Israeli Government for the illegal arrest and detention of our comrades and other Irish activists on the flotilla.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) The Israeli Government to halt the building of settlements in the Occupied Territories and to open meaningful talks with the representatives of the Palestinian people with a view to establishing an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and including East Jerusalem;
b) An immediate end to the use of ‘administrative detention’ by the Israeli Government to imprison Palestinians without trial or due process;
c) The implementation of United Nations resolutions and the enforcement of international law;
d) The commencement of an inclusive time-framed process of negotiations in which all democratic mandates are respected;
e) The right of all peoples to self-determination, an independent Palestinian state and the right of Israeli citizens to live peacefully within state borders agreed in negotiation.
Ard Chomhairle
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis calls for the credentials of the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland to be withdrawn while there is conflict in Palestine.
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
This Ard Fheis views with grave concern the ongoing conflict and loss of life in Syria and calls on the Syrian regime to end its attacks on unarmed protesters and civilians and to desist from human rights violations.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) An immediate end to all armed actions and the beginning of a process of inclusive negotiations to resolve the conflict. We believe that the future destiny of Syria must rest firmly in the hands of the Syrian people;
b) No outside military intervention and for the UN, the EU and the Arab League to facilitate the demilitarisation of the current situation by placing an embargo on the export of arms to all groups in Syria.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) An end to all human rights violations in Libya;
b) All parties in Libya to resolve their internal conflict through peaceful dialogue and negotiation.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls for:-
a) An end to the illegal US-led blockade of Cuba;
b) President Obama to use his powers to have the Cuba 5 (Miami 5) released immediately on humanitarian grounds.
Ard Chomhairle
Keating/Sands Cumann
Waterford
This Ard Fheis:-
I. Welcomes the 17th October 2011 San Sebastian Declaration which called on ETA to make a public declaration of a definitive cessation of all armed actions and on the Spanish and French governments to agree to inclusive talks to deal with the consequences of conflict;
II. Welcomes the prompt response from ETA to the San Sebastian Declaration, announcing its definitive cessation of armed activity and committing itself to dialogue and agreement as the way forward;
III. Commends the Abertzale Left for the leadership they have shown and the efforts they have made to create a political framework within which to address and deal with the cause of conflict;
IV. Congratulates Amaiur on their recent election results and see this as a significant underwriting of the peace process by Basque voters.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) The new Spanish Government and the French Government to grasp this unique opportunity for political progress in the Basque Country by committing themselves to a process of inclusive dialogue with all actors and political representatives to deal with the consequences of the conflict and to further develop the peace process;
b) The immediate release of Basque political activists and others from pro-independence groupings (including trade unions, youth, cultural and media organisations) currently being detained by the Spanish Government;
c) Humanitarian treatment of prisoners, including the release of sick prisoners, and the repatriation of prisoners to the Basque Country pending their release;
d) The release of Arnaldo Otegi;
e) The Basque people to be accorded their right to vote for the representatives of their choice;
f) The legalisation of the political party Sortu proposed by the Abertzale Left.
Ard Chomhairle
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
Cork City Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis:
a) Commends the National Youth Committee and Sinn Féin Republican Youth on their work mainstreaming the National Youth Strategy throughout the party structures. It provides the basis from which to increase youth involvement in Sinn Féin and enhancing the engagement with other young people in Irish society;
b) Recognises that young people must be central to the pursuit of national democracy and ‘An Ireland of Equals’ and we call on all party activists to positively create new opportunities to ensure young people become central to the development of the party;
c) Urges all party members and young republican activists to become involved in the new structures and to ensure republican politics become relevant to the hopes and aspirations of all young Irish people.
d) Reasserts the absolute importance for Sinn Féin to ensure that young people are supported and encouraged to participate at every level and in all aspects of party activity.
e) Reiterates its support for a reduction in the voting age to 16 for all elections and referendums.
Ard Chomhairle
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis:
a) Acknowledges the steady growth in the membership of Sinn Féin. We note the progress achieved to date in the recruitment of new members, the expansion of party organisation and our potential to grow significantly larger. We support the setting of the ‘organisational build’ targets by the Six Counties and 26 Counties Political Directorates to this end;
b) Reaffirms our objective of popularising republican politics throughout Ireland and building the Sinn Féin organisation in every community across the country;
c) Agrees that this work is an absolutely key priority for Sinn Féin and every party activist in the coming year;
d) Supports the introduction of the national membership retention strategy that develops existing best practice at the local level with best practice guidelines for meeting new members;
e) Recognises that special attention is required to assist less-well-developed areas.
Ard Chomhairle
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
Con Colbert Cumann
Athea, Co. Limerick
This Ard Fheis:
a) Welcomes the renewed emphasis placed upon increasing women’s representation and participation in both internal and external structures;
b) Calls on the incoming Ard Chomhairle to produce a coherent strategy that fully addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with building women’s representation and participation, placing an emphasis on learning from the positive contribution that women have made to the struggle and political and public life, and identifying examples of good practice in those areas in which women have secured successful representation and feel included in party structures, and consider how to adopt these practices across the party structures.
Nolan/Downey Cumann
South & East Belfast
When an Ard Fheis is not in session, the supreme direction of the government of the organisation shall reside in an Ard Chomhairle, which shall then propose positions regarding contentious issues that may arise (such as the Household Tax or the water charges) to the cúige where possible who shall then debate the issues and mandate their Ard Chomhairle delegates accordingly.
Benny Connolly Cumann
Walkinstown, Dublin
That in the planning of all key strategies and campaigns, the party leadership structures must, as far as possible, consult with the membership of the party and ensure that they are familiar with their views and that the democratic structures of the party must be fully utilised to ensure democratic political discussion and decision-making.
Patrick Cannon Cumann
Donaghmede, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls for the drawing up of a party disability strategy to consider proposals, including;
a) Meetings at all levels of the party to be held in buildings with wheelchair access where possible to encourage more disabled people to get involved in mainstream politics;
b) The appointment of a disability officer for each cúige area.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis mandates the officer board and party spokespersons to continue to remind the Irish people that:
a) The Fianna Fáil party in government bears primary responsibility for the gross mismanagement of the economy, the disastrous property bubble, the resultant economic collapse and the unlimited bank guarantee;
b) Fianna Fáil initiated the socially destructive and economically futile austerity regime now being continued by the Fine Gael/Labour Party Coalition.
We point out the hypocrisy of the Fianna Fáil party in its efforts to insinuate itself back into communities by posing as a defender of the people against cuts and Sinn Féin will continue to build true republicanism across this island, providing the real alternative to the Austerity Parties - Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Fianna Fáil.
Patrick Cannon Cumann
Donaghmede, Dublin
This Ard Fheis recognises the absolute importance of the highest standards of integrity, accountability and transparency in public life and proposes that all party representatives annually provide full and frank details of all expenses incurred for public scrutiny.
McDonnell/O’Shea Cumann
Bantry, West Cork
This Ard Fheis calls on the Ard Chomhairle to draw up strict guidelines for all Sinn Féin public representatives with regard to the use of taxpayers’ money and the drawdown of expenses to ensure consistency of conduct across the party and maintain our credibility with the public. These guidelines should reflect our belief that many practices in relation to the claiming of expenses, which may be legal, are neither justifiable nor morally acceptable.
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis acknowledges and celebrates the party’s successes in recent elections. This Ard Fheis wants to continue to build on those successes and calls on the party to implement any and all mechanisms to do so, including but not limited to:
• Conducting a review of communications and publicity generated for the first year following the general election in the 26 Counties, especially in the mainstream press nationally and locally, for newly-elected TDs with an eye towards the next general election and what will be needed not only to keep the seats won but also to win a substantial number of new seats;
• Making complaints to the Press Ombudsman regarding lack of fairness in coverage for Sinn Féin representatives and stories;
• Providing training on how to conduct member recruitment campaigns to local areas to build the activist base;
• Increasing direct communication with all registered members, including information from Ard Chomhairle meetings, advanced notification of campaigns and protests, and any publicity generated centrally.
Michael J Marren Cumann
South Sligo
This Ard Fheis proposes leaving membership registration to individual cumainn, enabling each cumann to cover costs such as cúige registration and other costs throughout the year.
Con Colbert Cumann
Athea, Co. Limerick
This Ard Fheis calls on the Ard Chomhairle to instigate the organisation of a National Sinn Féin Annual Collection and that this collection be held in all 32 Counties.
Leo Murphy/Tom Barry Cumann
Cork North West
This Ard Fheis:-
a) Calls on SIPTU and other trade unions to review their links with the Labour Party and to begin a debate around which parties best represent the interests of union members;
b) Calls on SIPTU and other trade unions to ensure that funding from their political fund is always made available to those candidates and political campaigns that will best represent the interests of union members;
c) Calls on Sinn Féin members and supporters who are members of SIPTU or other trade unions to opt out of the payment of that part of their union membership fee that goes to the Labour Party.
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
This Ard Fheis agrees that, for future Ard Fheiseanna, that the names of nominating cumainn and comhairlí ceantair be listed alongside each candidate contesting a position on the Ard Chomhairle and officer board in the election booklet.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis calls for the reorganisation of the National Commemorations Committee, giving it a higher profile within the organisation so it can be a resource for local cumainn and commemoration committees in sourcing speakers and bands.
The committee should meet regularly with representatives from all parts of the organisation and look now at organising for the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. This Ard Fheis calls on all members and cumainn to support local and national commemorations.
Countess Markievicz Cumann
Cork City
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls on Sinn Féin to use the parallel text format when printing bilingual documents, including the Clár for the Ard Fheis. (This means that text in Irish is printed on the left and English text is printed on the right.) The advantage with this format is that it facilitates the learning of Irish and allows easily-read comparisons between both languages.
Black/Ryan Cumann
Lucan
This Ard Fheis regrets the absence of the fada in many official publications. It urges Sinn Féin at all party levels to set an example in the correct use of the fada in all written and printed communications.
Cumann Chaisleán Nua Thiar
This Ard Fheis proposes that all departments or units in the party adhere to Sinn Féin policy of acknowledging the importance of the Irish language when naming the various units or departments so that we are seen to be Gaelicising the party.
Francis Hughes/Ó Donnabháin Rossa Cumann
Skibereen, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis calls on the incoming Ard Chomhairle to ensure that the Election Unit commences the process of selection conventions in LEAs where candidates have been identified within the next six months.
Logue/Marley Cumann
Crumlin, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
a) Regrets that the party’s Elections Unit did not make a substantial submission to the Constituency Commission tasked with redrawing boundaries for elections to Leinster House or to co-ordinate with local constituencies despite the commission contemplating the most significant amendment of constituency borders for some time;
b) Instructs the department to ensure that this lapse does not reoccur.
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
a) Welcomes the encouraging performance by the party across a range of campaigns in the 26 Counties but believes that the party lacks a dedicated campaigns structure to co-ordinate work in local authorities, Leinster House and the Assembly, the ODU and party members;
b) Therefore instructs the directorates, North and South, to establish and adequately resource a unit to co-ordinate campaigns activity.
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
Con Colbert Cumann
Athea, Co. Limerick
Amendment to Party Constitution
a) Section 5.2 - to remove the text “unless they have completed the programme as members of Ógra Shinn Féin”
b) Section 6.1.2 - to remove “e. Three delegates from each Comhairle Cúige Ógra”
And to substitute “(e) Two delegates on the basis of each Cúige, from Sinn Féin - Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach”
c) Section 6.1.5 - to delete “an Chomhairle Naísiúnta Ógra, Comhairlí Cúige Ógra”
And to substitute “an Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee”
d) Section 6.1.6 - to delete “Náisúnta Ógra, Comhairle Cúige Ógra”
And to substitute “an Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee”
e) Section 6.2 - to delete “Ógra Shinn Féin shall elect one representative to An Ard Chomhairle, in addition to the National Ógra Shinn Féin Organiser, at the Ógra National Congress which will take place 6 weeks prior to An Ard Fheis”
And to substitute “The Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee shall have three representatives on the Ard Chomhairle, one of whom will be the Chairperson of the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee
Amendment to Party Rules
a) Section 1.4a - to delete “An Chomhairle Náisiúnta Ógra, Comhairlí Cúige Ógra”
And to substitute “an Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee”
b) Section 1.4c - to delete “An Chomhairle Náisiúnta Ógra, Comhairlí Cúige Ógra”
And to substitute “an Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee”
c) Section 3.2 - to delete “An Ógra Shinn Féin representative should attend in an observer capacity on all Comhairlí Cúige Shinn Féin to ensure effective communication and co-operation between Sinn Féin and Ógra Shinn Féin”
And to replace with “A Sinn Féin Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach representative should attend in an observer capacity on all Comhairlí Cúige Shinn Féin to ensure effective communication and co-operation.”
d) Section 4.1a - after “Oifigeach Airgeadais (Finance Officer)” to insert “Oifigeach Óige (Youth Officer)”
e) Section 4.2 - to delete “Ógra Shinn Féin representatives should sit in an observer capacity on all Comhairle Ceantair Shinn Féin meetings to ensure effective communication and co-operation between Sinn Féin and Ógra Shinn Féin.”
And to insert “f. Each Chomhairle Ceantair will support and promote the work of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach locally and put in place strategies and measures to further the development of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach. The local Coistí Óige/Youth Committees shall be entitled to send 2 observers each to meetings of the Chomhairle Ceantair.”
f) Delete section 5.3g, “Where possible, Cumainn Shinn Féin should appoint a Youth Officer to liaise between themselves and the local Ógra Shinn Féin group.”
And to substitute “Cumainn Shinn Féin will actively assist the work of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach, and help to develop local Coistí Óige/Youth Committees.
g) To delete the whole of Article 8 relating to Ógra Shinn Féin and replace it with the following:
8. Republican Youth - Óige Phoblachtach
8.1 Name
Sinn Féin Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach is integral to the Sinn Féin party organisation.
It is responsible for the development of Youth Strategies and implementation of the purpose & objectives of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach, as set up out in section 8.2.
The work of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach will be directed and led by an Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee. All young members of Sinn Féin shall be encouraged to participate in the advancement of the work of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach.
8.2 Purpose & Objectives
a) To position Sinn Féin as a radical, progressive and relevant political alternative for young people in Ireland.
b) To maximise the relevance of Sinn Féin by listening to, engaging and building alliances with young people.
c) To popularise republicanism and the party’s national strategic objectives.
d) To encourage, engage and mobilise ever-increasing numbers of young people in Ireland in support of national and democratic objectives.
e) To develop political strategies and campaign programmes that reflect the needs and realities facing young people today.
f) To put in place appropriate and cohesive organisational modes that are integrated with the wider national party structures.
g) To bring renewed innovation, imagination and energy to the Sinn Féin project.
h) To promote the credibility of youth affairs within Sinn Féin and the overall republican struggle.
i) To empower young people in a changing Ireland and to promote a progressive vision for a future that cherishes and guarantees the hopes, rights and aspirations of our young people.
8.3 An Chomhdháil Náisiúnta Óige
Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach shall organise an annual Chomhdháil Náisiúnta in advance of the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis for the purposes of discussing republican strategy, to manage the functioning of Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach, for the purpose of electing members to the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee, and for the purposes of mandating the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee to submit motions to the Ard Fheis. The Chomhdháil will be open to all young members of Sinn Féin.
Each Coiste Óige/Youth Committee will be entitled to two voting delegates at the Chomhdháil Náisiúnta or three delegates where the membership of the Coiste Óige/Youth Committee exceeds 16.
8.4 An Coiste Náisiúnta Óige
The National Youth Congress/Chomhdháil Náisiúnta Óige shall elect 8 members from the floor of the Congress by a balloted vote, conducted by way of PR-STV. Delegates shall elect 4 candidates from a list of female candidates and 4 candidates from a list of male candidates.
The Chair of the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee shall be appointed by the Ard Chomhairle, and accountable to the National Party Chairperson. The Party Chairperson shall be an ex officio member of the Committee.
In addition to the Chairperson, the National Youth Committee shall select a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Publicity Officer.
The Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee shall co-opt up to 6 additional members following the Chomhdáil.
The Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee will appoint 3 members, including the Chairperson, to sit on the Ard Chomhairle.
The Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee will appoint 3 delegates, including the Chairperson, to attend the Ard Fheis.
In addition, Sinn Féin Republican Youth/Óige Phoblachtach will be entitled to a voting bloc of up to 12 delegates at each Ard Fheis. These will be allocated by the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee on a ratio of up to 2 delegates per cúige region, and through consultation between the Coiste Náisiúnta Óige/National Youth Committee and local Coistí Óige/Youth Committees.
8.5 Republican Youth Committees/Coistí Óige Phoblachtach
The local Coiste Óige Phoblachtach/Republican Youth Committee, in conjunction with the local Sinn Féin cumainn and chomhairle ceantair, will be responsible for promoting the purposes and objectives of Republican Youth within their area and within the party in that area.
Ard Chomhairle
Ógra National Executive
This Ard Fheis amends article 5.4a of the Sinn Féin Constitution to read:
5.4 AFFILIATION FEE AND FUNDS
a. The financial year of Sinn Féin shall be the calendar year ending December 31st. A cumann affiliation fee of €95 must be paid during the month of January with a deadline of January 31st of each year. New cumainn shall be required to pay a reduced affiliation fee of €25 for their first three years.
Costello/Hurson Cumann
Athlone, Co. Westmeath
This Ard Fheis:
a) Sends solidarity greetings to the evacuated residents of Priory Hall, Dublin;
b) Deplores the disgraceful conduct of Priory Hall developer Thomas McFeely and his Coalport development company who bear primary responsibility for the plight of the residents;
c) Deplores the totally inadequate planning and fire safety laws, regulations and lax enforcement by Government and local authorities which allowed such developers to act with impunity;
d) Calls on all the banks and lending
institutions concerned to fully participate in the resolution process chaired
by Justice Joseph Finnegan in order to find a just solution for the residents
that will vindicate their right to a home and their right not to be financially
penalised as a result of gross negligence for which they bear no
responsibility;
e) Calls on Minister for Environment, Community & Local Government Phil
Hogan to empower and resource local authorities to carry out rigorous
inspection of all housing developments and enforcement of all relevant
planning, construction and fire safety laws and regulations so as to ensure
that there is no repetition of the Priory Hall scandal.
Patrick Cannon Cumann,
Donaghmede, Dublin
This Ard Fheis requests the Sinn Féin team in Leinster House to consider proposing legislation to the Oireachtas (which may include provision for Constitutional amendment if necessary) to resolve the issue of ‘ground rents/long-term rents’ paid to British absentee landlords such as in the case of the Shirley Estate in Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, and replicated in towns and cities across the state.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
Whilst we welcome the commitment in the Executive Programme for Government towards the delivery of 8,000 social and affordable homes, this Ard Fheis calls on the Assembly to develop a comprehensive strategy which will meet the housing needs of all our citizens.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis calls on all relevant local authorities to begin the process of a reduction of rents given the fact that rents had initially been increased within some local authorities to cover the cost of bin collections provided.
Logue/Marley Cumann
Crumlin, Dublin
This Ard Fheis, recognising that there is a tiny minority of tenants who often engage in criminal and anti-social behaviour on a regular and systematic basis, and that often housing authorities have no effective sanction to curb this criminal behaviour, proposes that new powers be given to housing authorities to deal with such behaviour.
All housing authorities must have a clearly written procedure for dealing with issues around tenants who misbehave and engage in ongoing criminal/anti-social behaviour.
A home repossession should only ever be sought by a housing authority as a last resort when all procedures have been exhausted. These procedures must be fully exhausted before any court action is initiated
When a housing authority seeks repossession of a home then that should also be seen an admission of failure by the respective housing authority.
It is quite clear that existing legislation is ineffective in dealing with tenants who persist in engaging in criminal and anti-social behaviour. This can in many instances have a detrimental effect on whole communities where the housing authorities have no sanction to curb such criminal/anti-social tenants.
When the housing authority has no option - having exhausted all its procedures and in cases where tenants persist in engaging in ongoing and systematic anti-social behaviour - that new laws be enacted to allow for speedier termination of tenancies for those who insist in engaging in ongoing criminal and anti-social behaviour. Sinn Féin should campaign for additional powers to be given to housing authorities to deal with sustained criminal/anti-social behaviour by tenants in their properties.
Clancy/O’Callaghan Cumann
Limerick City
This Ard Fheis:
a) Notes the poor standard of local authority housing in many parts of the 26 Counties increasingly falling into disrepair as cuts by central Government affect the ability of local authorities to adequately fund housing maintenance programmes;
b) Encourages the party to conduct a co-ordinated housing maintenance campaign targeting local authorities and focused on urban centres with high levels of local authority housing.
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
Notes with concern the ever-increasing problem of derelict sites and that the threat of Compulsory Purchase Orders holds no weight at all as CPOs are currently not an option for most local authorities due to budgetary restraints;
Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to introduce additional measures to tackle derelict sites and land banking such as the Empty Dwelling Management Order introduced in Britain.
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis notes that, according to a survey carried out by Dublin Mid-West Sinn Féin:
• 85% of households in Méile an Rí, Tor an Rí and Buirg an Rí, Balgaddy, Lucan, Co Dublin, are experiencing problems with the quality of their housing;
• 60% of households in these estates are experiencing problems with damp;
• The problems in these estates are of a structural rather than one-off nature;
• 67% of households in these estates who informed the Council of these problems said their response was either bad or very bad;
• 60% of households in these estates they were currently experiencing anti-social behaviour;
• 55% of households in these estates said that the response of the Garda was bad or very bad and there is also an issue in relation to the residents’ satisfaction with the policing of the area.
Calls for:
• South Dublin County Council to conduct comprehensive detailed survey of all 465 dwellings in Méile an Rí, Tor an Rí and Búirg an Rí to ascertain the full extent of the housing problems in the area;
• South Dublin County Council to appoint a dedicated Estate Manager to oversee the programme of works that emerges from the comprehensive survey;
• Additional funding to be sought from the Department of Environment to carry out the necessary works;
• The creation of a dedicated Community Safety Forum for Balgaddy, bringing together representatives from the local community and senior management from South Dublin County Council and other agencies to address the problem of anti-social behaviour.
Black/Ryan Cumann
Lucan
This Ard Fheis determines to actively reverse the 26-County state’s abdication of responsibility for social housing by proposing the following:
a) Transferring suitable NAMA properties into state ownership as social housing or utilised for community services, recreation facilities (arts and sports, etc), community co-ops or spaces for business start-ups at nominal charges;
b) Compulsory Purchase Orders on suitable properties that lie vacant for 18 months or more for same.
McDonnell/O’Shea Cumann
Bantry, West Cork
Sullivan/Enright Cumann
Co. Kerry
This Ard Fheis calls for the completion of the Ballymun Regeneration Scheme as swiftly as possible. The conditions some of these residents are living in are worse than slum tenements and are totally unacceptable in so-called modern Ireland.
Previous regenerations in Ballymun have been left unfinished and have caused many of the social problems we see today. The regeneration must be completed with a view to providing social housing and infrastructure to a community that has been badly neglected by previous and current governments.
McCabe/Quigley Cumann
Ballymun, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls on the 26-County Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to:
a) Establish a task force to deal swiftly with the issue of pyrite. Pyrite is a problem that affects both council and private housing throughout Dublin. Home owners and tenants have been met with a steel wall when looking for redress from developers and builders, many of whom have been hiding behind NAMA;
b) Exempt pyrite-affected houses from the Household Charge.
McCabe/Quigley Cumann
Ballymun, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
a) Deplores the privatisation of the household waste collection service by Dublin City Council against the democratically-expressed wishes of the elected members of Dublin City Council, and by the South Dublin County Council without the knowledge of the members of South Dublin County Council;
b) Deplores the high-handed manner in which citizens were treated by the private operator Greyhound in both these council areas;
c) Calls for the reversal of the policy of privatisation;
d) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to introduce a state-wide scheme of waivers from refuse charges for people on low incomes;
e) Expresses our continuing opposition to the Poolbeg incinerator which is unnecessary, environmentally damaging and hugely expensive and runs contrary to best waste management practice as it will require a constant stream of waste to operate;
f) Calls for an inquiry into this project which has already cost the taxpayers millions of euros before a brick is laid.
Cúige Átha Cliath
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
Carroll/Ashe Cumann
Cabra, Dublin
Emmet/Clarke Cumann
South West Inner City, Dublin
Black/Ryan Cumann
Lucan
This Ard Fheis:-
a) Reaffirms its opposition to the use of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) as a means of gas exploration due to the well-documented environmental, health and economic damage it will cause to the local area and to its inhabitants;
b) Pledges its ongoing solidarity and support to those involved in anti-fracking campaign groups across the country;
c) Mandates all Sinn Féin activists to work with local communities to oppose hydraulic fracturing;
d) Call on the governments, North and South, to promote and develop an all-Ireland network of renewable, clean energy generators which will lead the way in attaining security of supply, sustainable energy prices and act as a real and long-term economic driver for the whole country.
Ard Chomhairle
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
Michael J Marren Cumann
South Sligo
In the spirit of the philosophy contained within the Democratic Programme of Dáil Éireann 1919, Sinn Féin reiterates its commitment to prioritise the fundamental right of the Irish people to the full economic benefits of Ireland’s oil and gas hydrocarbon resources.
The exploitation of these resources can only take place in the context of international best practice, established by the Norwegians, in terms of drilling, production, environmental safeguards and maximum return to the Irish people in relation to taxes, jobs, goods and services and security of supply.
This Ard Fheis calls on the Ard Chomhairle to consider sending a delegation to Norway to study how Norway dealt with the discovery of oil and gas in its own waters.
Galway West Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis commends the Rossport campaign which is now in its 10th year and calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to bring forward an energy policy that maximises the benefit to the Irish people of the mineral resources on the island in a safe and efficient manner.
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis calls for the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to expedite legislation to ensure that hazardous waste is treated at source, thus negating the need for its transport across our countryside.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis:-
a) Notes the serious environmental and financial costs associated with ‘diesel washing’;
b) Call on all those engaged in such activity to stop immediately;
c) Requests the incoming Ard Chomhairle to prepare an all-Ireland policy aimed at preventing this practice, including an examination of a proposal to have a single-colour diesel and consultation with the agricultural community to identify another method of provision of less-expensive fuel for this sector.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis demands that the 26-County Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government introduces a Climate Change Bill in 2012
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls for subvention to maintain the presence and frequency of the Magilligan/Greencastle Ferry which is critical to the economy of the entire North West.
O’Carolan/Kilmartin Cumann
Dungiven
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to provide immediate funding for the construction of the Macroom bypass on the N22 national route as a stand-alone project.
Leo Murphy/Tom Barry Cumann
Cork North West
This Ard Fheis acknowledges the role of Dublin Fire Brigade in providing integrated fire, rescue and emergency ambulance services and affirms its opposition to any move to ‘out-source’ or privatise these vital emergency services in whole or in part.
Cúige Átha Cliath
Sinn Féin calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to proceed in 2012 with the promised Constitutional referendum to strengthen the rights of children and that this referendum be conducted as a stand-alone proposition to be put to the people.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis:
a) Reaffirms Sinn Féin’s commitment to equal and timely access to excellent public health services for all the people of Ireland based on need alone;
b) Notes the continuing contraction of public health services as a result of the destructive cutbacks begun by the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government and continued by the Fine Gael/Labour Party Coalition;
c) Deplores the €750million in cuts to the public health services in 2012 which follow the €1.5billion cut from health spending in 2010 and 2011;
d) Views with grave concern the continuing recruitment embargo and the gaps in services that have been created by this embargo in combination with the departure of 4,200 staff in early retirement by the end of February 2012;
e) Notes that the HSE ‘National’ Service Plan and its Regional Plans implement this regime of cutbacks, restricting services in primary care, hospitals, mental healthcare, older people’s services, children’s and family services;
f) Notes that over 2,300 public hospital beds are closed and that the HSE Service Plan will entail further bed closures, including long-term residential beds, and in some cases entire publicly-run care homes for older people;
g) Recognises that this attack on public health services represents the failed policy of austerity in action;
h) Demands the abandonment of these attacks and this policy;
i) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to lift the recruitment embargo, commence the reopening of closed public hospital beds and restore services; and
j) Resolves to continue to campaign against the health cuts and for a renewed, equitable and efficient health service in Ireland.
Ard Chomhairle
James Fintan Lalor Cumann
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Charlie McGlade Cumann,
Drimnagh, Dublin
Given the increased pressure placed on frontline service providers in our health services on the departure of some 4,200 healthcare workers as of 29 February, the growing number of closed public hospital beds (now in excess of 2,300), and the ongoing recruitment embargo, this Ard Fheis calls on Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD to:
a) Accept that his Minister for Health and the Fine Gael/Labour Party Coalition has failed the people and is incapable of arresting the ongoing decline in health service provision, let alone reversing the cuts first imposed by the Fianna Fáil/Green Party Coalition;
b) Dissolve the 31st Dáil and allow the electorate return a Government that will adhere to its mandate and provide a first-class health service to all on the basis of need and need alone.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis commends all healthcare workers coping in ever more difficult circumstances, not least those providing essential supports across our mental health services. Recognising the increasing demand for services across all mental health disciplines, this Ard Fheis calls on the Minister with Responsibility for Mental Health, Kathleen Lynch TD, to ensure that the required human and other resources are provided to meet this increasing and urgent need.
O’Hanlon/McMahon/Lynagh Cumann
Monaghan Town
This Ard Fheis:
a) Recognises that suicide is a serious public health problem which has affected almost all of our communities;
b) Proposes that an integrated approach involving community, voluntary and statutory bodies is the only effective manner in which this public health issue may be strategically addressed;
c) Proposes that the primary step in addressing the issue of suicide is through a media campaign similar to that of the NRA road safety campaign, based on creating awareness of the related services which are already in existence in the area of mental health and wellness and broadly educating the public on the topic of suicide;
d) Pledges full support in combating suicide in our communities through supporting organisations such as SOSAD (Save Our Sons and Daughters) Ireland.
Countess Bridge Martyrs Cumann
South Kerry
Kieran Doherty Cumann
Bailieboro, Co. Cavan
This Ard Fheis calls on Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD to live up to his often expressed sympathy and support for the women victims of the practice of symphysiotomy at a number of hospital sites, including Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, and establish without delay a full, independent public inquiry into this barbaric practice over a five-decade period (1940s to 1980s) and provides for an inclusive compensation for all survivors and in memory of those who have suffered and who have already passed away.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis, noting the concerns expressed by eminent consultants and other frontline service providers in our children’s hospitals - where young children and their parents have had to contend with outrageous waiting times on trolleys in Emergency Departments and where resources have continued to contract - calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to properly provide for the needs of sick children at Temple Street, Crumlin and Tallaght Hospitals, pending the construction of the long-awaited new National Paediatric Hospital.
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls on the Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD to make better resources and facilities available to our existing children’s hospitals and to make a statement on the long-term future of the Crumlin Children’s Hospital now that plans for the new site for the National Paediatric Hospital have been rejected.
Logue/Marley Cumann
Crumlin, Dublin
This Ard Fheis, conscious of the decision of An Bord Pleanála to reject the application for a new National Children’s Hospital on the Mater site, calls for an independent inclusive review into the feasibility of sites like Tallaght Hospital.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis condemns the neglect by the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government of the plight of cystic fibrosis sufferers and calls for cystic fibrosis to be treated as a health service priority.
Andy O’Sullivan Cumann
Mallow, Co. Cork
Sinn Féin calls for a full and independent review of the centralised Medical Card administration system to determine whether it is contributing to the unacceptable delays in processing forms and, if necessary, look at restoring administration to local level.
John Joe Sheehy Cumann
North Kerry
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis condemns the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and the Health Information Quality Authority (HIQA) for failing to conduct on-site visits to hospitals in relation to infection control and Healthcare Acquired Infections. This failure results in the lack of quantitative data that could ensure needed changes to policy and practice. Self-assessment tools do not yield reliable, objective data.
McGrath/O’Brien Cumann
East Waterford
This Ard Fheis:
a) Condemns the failure of the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to progress the enactment of the Coroners Bill 2007.
b) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to bring forward the enactment of the Coroners Bill 2007 without further delay to ensure that Ireland complies with Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Drumm/Doherty Cumann
Clondalkin, Dublin
This Ard Fheis supports the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion whatever the circumstances. We recognise that there are strong views within our party on both sides of the argument but we believe the a woman should ultimately have the right to make the decision where her health, physical or mental, and welfare are concerned.
Keating/Sands Cumann
Waterford
All Sinn Féin members should be allowed to articulate, campaign and vote on the issue of abortion according to their conscience.
Doherty/Delaney Cumann
Navan, Co. Meath
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Pary Coalition to:
a) Restore the Minor Injuries Unit at Monaghan General Hospital to a seven-day service;
b) Recommission the Rapid Response Vehicle to the ambulance service for Co. Monaghan;
c) Properly provide for the GP out-of-hours service, NEDoc, across the counties of Monaghan, Cavan, Louth and Meath;
d) Commit to the development of new or restored services at Monaghan General Hospital, including the introduction of a Medical Assessment Unit;
e) Live up to their parties’ pre-election promises and ensure the retention, restoration and development of services at local hospitals.
O’ Hanlon/McMahon/Lynagh Cumann
Monaghan Town
Monaghan Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis welcomes the decision to locate radiotherapy services at Altnagelvin and also welcomes the recent £30million investment at the hospital.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis recognises the vital work of our pre-emergency healthcare workers, commends the work of the Save Youghal Ambulance group and calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and the HSE to guarantee continued full-time ambulance cover for the town of Youghal and surrounding areas.
Hughes/O’Reilly Cumann
Youghal, Co. Cork
This Ard Fheis calls on Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD to reinstate the three recently-closed surgical theatres in Waterford Regional Hospital and also to reopen the wards that have also been closed. WRH serves in excess of 500,000 people in the region and these cutbacks will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the sick and some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Keating/Sands Cumann
Waterford
This Ard Fheis extends its support to the Save Our Acute Hospital Services Campaign in South Tipperary and welcomes its decision to begin legal proceedings challenging the HSE and Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD for breaching a long-standing legal agreement that provided for the continuation of all acute hospital services for the people of South Tipperary at Clonmel.
Connolly/Plant Cumann
South Tipperary
This Ard Fheis calls on Minister for Health Dr James Reilly TD to maintain the current cardiac and orthopaedic specialities at Sligo General Hospital and to restore the Diagnostic Cancer Services as promised.
Mac Diarmada/Gilgunn Cumann
North Leitrim
This Ard Fheis fully supports the retention of services at St Brigid’s Nursing Home for Women (Crooksling, Brittas, Co Dublin), recognises the exceptional quality of care that patients receive in this publicly-run facility, notes there are currently no public bed facilities available to those women (66 of whom are high-dependency patients), and calls on the Minister for Health Dr James O’Reilly TD to desist from the privatisation agenda that his department is currently working to.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis opposes moves to close community hospital beds while new facilities are being built and opened, favouring some geographical areas over others. The blatant disregard for the fate of long-term patients and the distress caused to those patients and their families by the threat of removal to facilities long distances away is a disgrace. That some of these patients and their families have been advised they can pay for private nursing home beds closer to home is nothing short of extortion on behalf of a privatisation-led health service.
This Ard Fheis also calls for the immediate opening of the Tralee Community Hospital.
Sullivan/Enright Cumann
Co. Kerry
John Joe Sheehy Cumann
North Kerry
This Ard Fheis:
a) Welcomes the improvement in educational attainment within schools in the Six Counties that has been overseen by successive Sinn Féin Education Ministers and commends the initiative of the current Education Minister in taking forward a major programme of work to further increase the attainment and prospects of all children;
b) Reiterates its call for the Catholic Commission for Education to implement its policy to end the practice of academic selection within its schools and further calls on all those opposed to academic selection to redouble their efforts to bring this socially unjust and educationally unsound practice to an end;
c) Recognises the clear correlation between grammar school pupils’ admissions and affluent households, welcomes the Education Minister’s decision to review the common funding formula to take into account social disadvantage, and recognises that disparity in education and academic selection causes long-term damage to both levels of attainment and the economy;
d) Deplores the decision of the London and Dublin Governments to decimate the education budgets in the North and South of Ireland, acknowledges the intervention of the Northern Executive to inject significant additional funds into Education, but recognises the difficulties that still exist and calls on both governments to reverse these cuts;
e) Opposes any restrictions on young people accessing education on a North/South basis and supports the initiative by both Education Ministers on the island of Ireland to commission - through the All-Ireland Ministerial Council - a survey and action plan to redress these barriers;
f) Calls on our Assembly team to seek the retention of the Educational Maintenance Allowance and to ensure it is targeted at those in greatest need;
g) Reaffirms that education - up to and including third-level education - should be accessible to all and not constrained on the basis of ability to pay.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis notes that:
• Cuts to the education system have had a detrimental effect on those children who are most at risk of educational disadvantage. These are children from disadvantaged urban areas, isolated rural communities or children with a special need;
• Changes to the staffing schedule in schools with less than 86 pupils will result in the loss of 250 teaching posts and will further increase the pupil/teacher ratio. This will disproportionately affect small rural schools, Gaelscoileanna and schools in the Gaeltacht;
• The negative impact that the cap on Special Needs Assistants has had on children with special needs.
This Ard Fheis commends all those who successfully campaigned for the reversal of the cuts to DEIS schools and calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and Minister for Education to:
a) Extend DEIS so that schools servicing catchment areas of significant social and economic disadvantage can be included in the scheme;
b) Reverse the changes to the staffing schedule for schools with less than 86 pupils;
c) Lift the cap on Special Needs Assistants and to adequately provide for children with special educational needs.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
Traolach MacSuibhne Cumann
Cork City
Charlie McGlade Cumann
Drimnagh, Dublin
McCann Cumann
Ballinasloe, Galway
McDonnell/O’Shea Cumann
Bantry, West Cork
This Ard Fheis notes:
• The increasing costs in the 26 Counties for parents in sending their children to school;
• That poverty is directly linked to low educational achievement.
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to:
a) Scrap the additional charges for primary schools transport;
b) Provide additional financial support for after-school support programmes
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis recognises the success of the modern languages in the Primary Schools Initiative and, believing that ending the scheme is short-sighted and potentially damaging to the future prospects of attracting multinational jobs, calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to reverse this decision.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann,
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis notes:
• The substantial U-turn that the Labour Party has made on its commitment not to introduce third-level fees;
• That the decision to reduce core funding for higher education institutions by 5% will impact negatively on the provision of third-level education.
This Ard Fheis opposes:
• The €250 increase in the student registration fee;
• The 3% cut in student grants and the decision not to pay out grants to new post-graduate students from January 2012;
• The decision to cut the Fund for Students with Disabilities by 20%.
This Ard Fheis therefore calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and the Minister for Education to reverse the detrimental cuts to third-level education and to stand by their parties’ previous commitments to the sector.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
Recognising the need for the expansion of further and higher education provision in the North West, this Ard Fheis calls for the creation of a Magee University campus which serves 9,400 FTEs with courses relevant and required for individual and regional development in terms of the social and economic needs and enhanced provision of 1,500 MaSN at the North West Regional College by 2020.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis recognises:
a) That many companies report difficulty in filling posts where technical skills are a requirement;
b) This difficulty highlights the current disparity between the skills taught at third-level and the present needs of the labour market;
c) The second-level and third-level focus needs to strategically shift from traditional career choices (in which few new jobs are being created) to courses in which students are taught skills that could potentially address the current technical skills shortage in addition to driving innovation and domestic entrepreneurial activity
Countess Bridge Martyrs Cumann
South Kerry
This Ard Fheis opposes the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government’s decision to cut school guidance counsellors and calls for its reversal.
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
• Opposes changes to the application of qualification allowances for teachers as announced in Budget 2012;
• Supports the view that teachers taking academic courses have a legitimate expectation to receive the allowances that were available when they signed up for further study;
• Recognises that capping allowances will discourage teachers from engaging in further study and will remove an important incentive that encourages those working within the education sector to upskill.
This Ard Fheis condemns the attack on the pay, allowances and pension arrangements of new entrants to the teaching profession in the 26 Counties. We believe that newly-qualified teachers should be entitled to the same conditions of employment and remuneration as their colleagues. This Ard Fheis believes that failure to ensure equality in this area constitutes exploitation.
Traolach MacSuibhne Cumann
Cork City
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to make funding available for the construction of new schools (particularly for schools that have existed for many years in sub-standard and dilapidated pre-fabs) and for the upgrade to existing school buildings that require it.
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis calls on Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn TD to intervene and to allocate funding for a permanent school building for Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra. This school has been neglected by different governments and pupils today still sit in prefabs, 17 years after the school was founded.
Carroll/Ashe Cumann
Cabra, Dublin
This Ard Fheis agrees that the Irish Government and the Six-County Executive should strive to end church control of state-funded schools where this is the wish of local communities and that provision for secular education should be available to every family that seeks it.
Cumann Chaisleán Nua Thiar
This Ard Fheis calls on the Irish Government to remove tax on iPads or other electronic equipment used for educational purposes, or as a replacement for schoolbooks, to bring it in line with non-taxation on schoolbooks.
Black/Ryan Cumann
Lucan
This Ard Fheis rejects the current British Government’s attempt to redefine poverty as a delinquent lifestyle choice that can be addressed by cutting benefits, more coercion and greater sanctions.
Furthermore, this Ard Fheis reaffirms the primacy of established economic criteria which focuses on the lack of material provision, either in terms of a living wage or adequate benefits, rather than a lack of discipline or other prejudicial characterisations of the sick, disabled and unemployed.
This Ard Fheis recognises that the Assembly lacks the necessary fiscal powers to prevent the Tory welfare reforms entirely but commends the efforts of our ministerial and Assembly team in bringing forward practical proposals to mitigate against the worst of the measures, particularly for those most vulnerable.
This Ard Fheis commends Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD for:-
a) Identifying and highlighting the threat posed to the incomes of people with disabilities, carers and lone parents by the proposal to merge all working-age social assistance schemes into a single payment and for his efforts to put a break on that proposal;
b) His work as Rapporteur to the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education in putting forward a report that analyses the negative consequences of the Single Working Age Payment proposal and in particular for the extensive consultations he undertook with those who would potentially be worst affected by the change.
Recognises that in the absence of the necessary supports, activation opportunities and quality jobs to move on to, the shift to a Single Working Age Payment would merely serve to further cut the incomes of vulnerable groups and calls for social welfare reform to better accommodate part-time and casual work.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis deplores the cuts to social welfare made by the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government, including:
a) Fuel Allowance cut from 32 to 26 weeks and the subsequent hardship to the elderly and those most in need;
b) The cuts to the lone parent payments, increasing hardship for parents already under pressure with new Household Charges, hikes in the cost of living, high childcare costs and cuts to Child Benefit for third and subsequent children;
c) The reduction of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance from €305 to €250 for children aged 12 years or more and from €200 to €150 for children aged 4 to 11 years;
d) The increase in the minimum contribution by single tenants towards rent for the purposes of the Rent Supplement Scheme by €6 to €30 per week and the minimum contribution payable by couples to €35 per week. In some cases, people cannot move to new, cheaper, private rental accommodation as they are already locked into contracts with their landlords, therefore this increase is hard hitting to already over-burdened families.
Cumann Chaisleán Nua Thiar
Black/Ryan Cumann
Lucan
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to reverse the cuts to the project ‘Assistance Dogs for Families of Children with Autism’, which provides specially-trained dogs to help children with autism.
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis condemns the Irish Government for implementing policies, which have resulted in one in five of our most vulnerable children going to school hungry every morning. This Ard Fheis calls on the Government to immediately implement measures to halt this unjust and disgraceful situation.
Edenderry Cumann
This Ard Fheis calls on Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton TD to immediately introduce a category of social welfare for self-employed persons who find themselves without employment or income due to the continuing economic decline. The level of payment should be based on the individual’s duration of self-employment and decided on a case by case basis.
McCann Cumann
Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
James Fintan Lalor Cumann
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Michael J Marren Cumann
South Sligo
This Ard Fheis notes that:
• The austerity policies being pursued by both the Irish Government and the British Government are not working. They are resulting in hardship for Irish people;
• £4billion has been removed from the Executive’s budget by the Tory Government in London;
• At least a further £500million is proposed to be removed from the welfare budget;
• The Exchequer deficit in the 26 Counties has increased from €18.7billion in 2010 to €24.9billion in 2011;
• Yields on 10-year Irish Government bonds remain prohibitively high;
• 434,800 are on the live register in the 26 Counties;
• 6,000 people are emigrating every month;
• 92 households in the 26 Counties are falling into mortgage distress every day;
• Community services are being cut, disproportionately affecting the most disadvantaged;
• Fine Gael/Labour Party Government spending on banks since March 2011 has exceeded €24.6billion, including €6.2billion on Anglo Irish bank.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) An end to the failed policy of austerity by both the Irish Government and the Tory Government in London;
b) The transfer of fiscal powers from London to Ireland;
c) An end to bank bail-outs;
d) A new approach based on investment in jobs and debt write-downs;
e) The Irish Government to invest a €7billion stimulus package over three years funded through the National Pension Reserve Fund and the European Investment Bank to directly create 60,000+ jobs;
f) A €596.7 million household stimulus package to assist struggling households and increase consumer demand;
g) An end to all Anglo Irish bank promissory note payments, reducing the state debt by 20% and the annual deficit by 2%.
Ard Chomhairle
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis:
a) Believes that the best route to economic recovery is through stimulating the economy to growth;
b) Welcomes the announcement by the Executive that it is to commence work on the A5 despite the failure of the Irish Government to honour the commitment it made at St Andrews to part-fund the project;
c) Calls on the Irish Government to come forward with the additional funding to complete this vital infrastructural project in line with what they agreed at St Andrews;
d) Commends the recent announcement from the Executive to roll out a £500million capital building project which includes the A5, a new hospital in Omagh, and an additional wing at Altnagelvin in Derry, and holds out the prospect of over 2,000 new jobs in the construction industry.
Ard Chomhairle
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis notes:
• There are over 500,000 people now unemployed across Ireland with those under the age of 25 at the highest risk of unemployment;
• Emigration, which is disguising the full extent of unemployment, will have a huge economic cost in the future because educated and skilled young people needed to build the economy are leaving;
• The policies of austerity being applied by the European Union, the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and by the Conservative/Liberal Democrats Government in London via the cut to the Block Assembly Grant are having a wholly negative effect on job retention and creation and are pushing the economy deeper into recession.
This Ard Fheis calls for:
a) An all-Ireland approach to the issue of unemployment and job creation and calls on the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Six Counties and the Minster for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation in the 26 Counties to work together to bring forward an all-Ireland job creation strategy;
b) The introduction of state-sponsored stimulus to provide the financial resources to expedite shovel ready essential infrastructure projects such as high-speed broadband and renewable energy, which would simultaneously improve competitiveness and create jobs;
c) The creation of an environment conducive to job creation by tackling issues such as upward-only rent reviews and high overheads as a result of high utility costs and rates;
d) The introduction of full ‘Country of Origin’ labelling to reduce the pressure on Irish agri-food producers from low-cost imports;
e) A strategy to boost entrepreneurship that would include a focus on alternative sectors of employment such as co-operatives, and improved welfare entitlements for the self-employed in the event that their enterprise does not succeed;
f) A recognition that investment in education at all levels, from pre-school to third level, will pay dividends in terms of making Ireland competitive in the future and that teaching of both computer skills and languages at primary school level should be prioritised.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis opposes the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government’s decision to dispose of commercial semi-state assets. Selling off strategic successful, self-financing, commercial semi-state assets is not in the public interest.
This Ard Fheis notes that:-
• The Review Group on State Assets and Liabilities, chaired by Colm McCarthy, did not provide adequate analysis or evidence to support its recommendations to privatise state-owned assets and enterprises;
• Bord Gáis and ESB/Electric Ireland have invested heavily in first world energy infrastructure across the island of Ireland, having the effect of safeguarding the state’s energy security, creating tens of thousands of sustainable jobs and benefiting hundreds of thousands of families over the decades;
• Retaining the state’s 25% share in Aer Lingus is vital to ensure Ireland’s connectivity to Europe, the USA and the rest of the world - guaranteeing the future of the airline’s Heathrow slots by this retention is of strategic importance;
• Coillte is an important rural employer, particularly at the current time, and that the sale of the company’s harvesting rights and any failure by the state and the company to develop the massive potential of the forestry sector for timber production, biomass and eco-tourism will be detrimental to the public interest;
• Using the proceeds from the sale of state assets for bank debt reduction will not relieve the state’s ‘national debt’;
• The sale of state assets is a short-term measure that will have detrimental long-term economic, social and environmental costs;
• The potential economic, social and environmental benefits of commercial semi-state companies have not yet been fully realised;
• The avoidable damage to the economy and disruption in services for consumers arising from industrial unrest resultant solely from the unnecessary sale of strategic state assets.
This Ard Fheis supports any action taken by workers of commercial semi-state companies against the Government’s decision to dispose of state assets.
This Ard Fheis:
a) Calls for the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to replace NewERA with a Semi-State Strategy Group to include Chief Executive Officers from each of the commercial semi-state companies, with responsibility for delivering a strategic job creation and training project - working directly with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; the Minister for Social Protection; and the Minister for Education and Skills - and reporting directly to the Taoiseach and the Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education;
b) Calls for all annual dividends paid to the state by commercial semi-state companies must be reinvested into employment activation and training measures as identified by the Semi-state Strategy Group and approved by the Taoiseach, reporting to the Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education;
c) Opposes the sell-off of any Coillte lands and assets as proposed by the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government.
Ard Chomhairle
Cumann Chaisleán Nua Thiar
This Ard Fheis:
a) Expresses Sinn Féin’s opposition to the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government’s deeply-flawed JobBridge programme, which has proved itself to be open to flagrant abuse;
b) Recognises that strong and comprehensive regulations are needed to address the exploitative approach (which some employers view as unpaid internships) and calls on the Government to review the JobBridge programme.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis notes that:
• Some landlords of commercial property abused their market position to develop lease periods of 25 years and include upward-only rent review clauses;
• Government tax regimes continue to subsidise investment in commercial property;
• Retail Excellence Ireland has found that commercial leases are 100% more expensive than the European equivalent;
• 50,000 jobs have been lost in the retail sector and a further 40,000 placed in jeopardy;
• The failure of Labour and Fine Gael in government to implement their election and programme for Government commitments to end existing upward-only rent reviews;
• The Irish Government paid in excess of €53million last year to private sector landlords in leases with upward-only rent review clauses.
This Ard Fheis believes that failure to act on these clauses and the other abuses by some commercial landlords undermines the competitiveness of the economy, costs jobs, and reduces the resources available for public services and calls for.
a) The ending of all existing upward-only rent review;
b) A fundamental review of the practices of commercial landlords, including the setting of market value rents and restrictive lease periods;
c) A renegotiation of all Irish Government leases to deliver value for money.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis recognises the harmful effects of the economic practices of the previous Fianna Fáil/Green Party Government and the current Fine Gael/Labour Party Government on SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), the self-employed and contract employees, and the lack of any co-ordinated effort by the current government to either support these businesses or the individuals and their families when businesses fail and contracts end.
This Ard Fheis calls on the party to propose and support efforts to establish within SOLAS (the new body replacing FÁS) a section specific to SMEs, the self-employed, and contract employees that provides assistance for economic support, training, and employment, including directly, or as an informational source regarding benefits, or as an advocate
Michael J Marren Cumann
South Sligo
Welcoming the commitment in the Executive Programme for Government towards the Derry City ‘One Plan’ Regeneration strategy (which incorporates equality at the heart of the regeneration process with required targeted economic, health, educational and social outcomes in areas which suffer high deprivation and inequalities in a measurable and monitored way), this Ard Fheis calls on the Assembly and Dáil representatives to ensure that such outcomes are realised in relation to any public or other investment in the One Plan. These principles should be the starting point for any Government-led regeneration strategies in the future.
Derry Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis notes that:
• Since taking office, Fine Gael and the Labour Party have failed to deliver on their Programme for Government commitment to reform the public service in a manner that serves the public good;
• Sinn Féin in its work in the Oireachtas, Assembly and local government continues to lead the charge for accountability, transparency, efficiency and income equity across the public sector;
• Accessible, efficient and quality public services are hallmarks of a successful society and a productive economy;
• Citizens have a right to expect services that meet their needs;
• Taxpayers have a right to expect a productive, value-for-money public sector.
Calls for:
a) All public sector pay to be capped at €100,000 per annum given the current economic crisis and the position of the public finances, including state agency CEOs, VEC CEOs, and City and County Managers;
b) All office holders - including the President and judiciary - to be capped at €100,000, TDs’ salaries at €75,000, and senators’ salaries at €60,000;
c) The Government ‘Super Junior Minister’ annual allowance of €17,250 to be revoked;
d) A rescinding of the awarding of special severance gratuity payments and added years to retiring Secretaries General, and City and County Managers;
e) Application of a new public service pension reduction levy rate of 100% on all public sector pension payments in excess of €100,000;
f) Introduction of a cap on annual public service pensions of €60,000;
g) Secretaries General to be removed from the Top Level Appointments Committee;
h) Public sector departmental staff should not serve on the board of state agencies;
i) Stage agency board membership to be reduced from twelve to seven persons with a review three years thereafter to consider if an increase is required to amount to no more than a board membership of nine;
j) All remuneration awarded to commercial and non-commercial state body board membership to be cut by 25%;
k) The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to compile and upload on to the department’s website a ‘State Agency Database’ of all commercial and non-commercial state agencies and bodies, including board members’ names, competencies and remuneration.
l) The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to compile and publish on the department’s website an additional database of potential board appointees selected on the basis of their capabilities with any future board appointees to be selected from this list.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis reiterates Sinn Féin’s opposition to the Household Charge, which is a regressive flat tax which takes no account of a household’s ability to pay. We call on this tax to be repealed and note the Sinn Féin Private Member’s Bill that was tabled to this effect.
This Ard Fheis notes that Sinn Féin has put forward alternatives to this stealth tax, including a third rate of tax of 48% for those earning over €100,000 that would raise more than twice the €160million than what is expected to be raised by this unjust charge.
Commends all Sinn Féin activists who have campaigned and continue to campaign to abolish the Household Charge and calls on the Government to axe the Household Charge as it is an unfair and unjust tax on already overburdened families.
Ard Chomhairle
Cúige Átha Cliath
Charlie McGlade Cumann,
Drimnagh, Dublin
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls on the Sinn Féin leadership to advise members of the public not to pay the Household Charge.
John Joe Sheehy Cumann
North Kerry
This Ard Fheis:
a) Believes that water services and infrastructure must remain in full public ownership and opposes the introduction of water charges and privatisation of water services in Ireland;
b) Commends the Sinn Féin submission to the consultation on the ‘Reform of the Water Sector in Ireland’ in the 26 Counties which reaffirms Sinn Féin opposition to water privatisation and charges and sets out the party’s opposition to the establishment of a single water utility in the 26 Counties which we believe is designed to facilitate the future privatisation of these vital public assets and services;
c) Commits Sinn Féin to actively campaign against the introduction of domestic water meters and the introduction of water charges.
Ard Chomhairle
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
Logue/Marley Cumann
Crumlin, Dublin
Charles Kickham Cumann
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
This Ard Fheis:
a) Commends those communities who have campaigned against the septic tank charges;
b) Recognises that the environment must be protected and high standards must apply to septic tanks;
c) Condemns successive governments for failing to comply with EEC and EU directives;
d) Opposes any attempt to criminalise householders for being unable to pay for upgrading of septic tanks;
e) Commits Sinn Féin to working with communities in campaigning for fair standards and full financial assistance for households who upgrade their septic tanks to meet new standards.
Ard Chomhairle
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
This Ard Fheis proposes that Motor Tax is retained by the local council to maintain their roads.
Charles Kickham Cumann
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
This Ard Fheis calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to review the current system of Motor Tax payment. In these recessionary times, many drivers can only afford to pay three months’ car tax at a time, which means that they are paying more than those who can afford to tax their car annually. We call on the Government to introduce pro rata Motor Tax charges.
Cúige Átha Cliath
This Ard Fheis, recognising that ordinary citizens have been asked to bear the lion’s share of the burden of fiscal adjustment, recognising the handsome growth in corporate profits amongst multinational companies operating in the South, and also recognising the need to make concrete moves towards tax harmonisation across Ireland, endorses and supports the call of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions for a temporary levy of 2.5% on corporate profits in the 26 Counties.
Clancy/O’Callaghan Cumann
Limerick City
This Ard Fheis:
a) Opposes the repayment of c. €65billion of debt arising from the market failure of the major Irish banks, irrespective of the individual or institution presently holding that debt and including any element of that debt which may have been replaced by Irish sovereign debt as a direct consequence of the disastrous ‘guarantee’ given by the Fianna Fáil-led government in 2008;
b) Recognises that Sinn Féin must present a credible plan for executing this policy and to face down a failed elite in this country who will seek to scaremonger the people of Ireland into submission through threats of ‘empty ATMs’ and such;
c) Urges the Ard Chomhairle to seriously explore the despatch of a senior-level delegation to China for talks with politicians and financial representatives;
d) Proposes that these talks focus on agreement ‘in principle’ to a US dollar denominated loan of sufficient scale to give full support to the next Irish Government in the necessary debt re-structuring negotiations with the EU and ECB;
e) Further proposes that these talks examine the use by Chinese corporations of Ireland as a preferred location for trading with the EU/Europe and consider the business and cultural policies that would best facilitate this objective.
Jackie Griffith Cumann
South East Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis calls for legislation to be enacted obliging banks to pass on, without delay, the full amount of any future interest rate reduction to their customers.
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis calls for a total overhaul of construction industry regulations and standards and strict enforcement of quality controls to protect consumers and encourage high standards of excellence within the trades.
Traolach MacSuibhne Cumann
Cork City
This Ard Fheis believes that it is only through direct state management of the economy that we can bring to an early end our disgraceful levels of unemployment and debt and the first step to this end is control of our own currency. We therefore call on Sinn Féin to work with other like-minded individuals and groups towards an efficient and rapid dropping of the euro currency and the establishment of a state currency.
Clancy/O’Callaghan Cumann
Limerick City
This Ard Fheis:
a) Recognises the important role the community and voluntary sector plays in
delivering essential services in our communities, including services to
children, older people, people with disabilities or ill-health, drug users,
women, immigrants, travellers and other ethnic minority groups;
b) Notes that the community and voluntary sector provides essential services
which the state and private sectors are unwilling or unable to provide;
c) Affirms that the community and voluntary sector needs to participate in
decision-making and must be able to monitor and challenge the Government;
d) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to reverse the cuts in
funding to the community and voluntary sector;
e) Calls upon the Irish Government to release the €89million in Dormant
Accounts to allow the National Lottery and funds from the Criminal Assets
Bureau to be used exclusively to fund the community and voluntary sector
projects;
f) Calls upon the Irish Government to implement the Labour Court
recommendations and allow community and voluntary sector workers to negotiate
their pay and conditions on collective bargaining by introducing legislation;
g) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government and the Assembly Executive to
put in place appropriate long-term resources that will help communities tackle
issues of disadvantage and poverty and improve the quality of life of all the
citizens of Ireland;
h) Calls on the Government to establish the All-Ireland Consultative Civic
Forum promised by the Good Friday Agreement;
i) Commends Defending Ireland’s Communities (Communities Against Cuts) for
co-ordinating and working with the community and voluntary sector in opposing
Government cuts and promoting solidarity in our communities. j) calls on the
Six County executive to extend the Social Clause promised in the Programme for
Government with regard to public procurement projects to include the Community
and Voluntary Sector, and thus ensure a threshold of decency with regard to
terms and conditions for workers in this sector Clancy/O’Callaghan Cumann
Limerick City
Traolach MacSuibhne Cumann
Cork City
West Belfast Comhairle Ceantair
James Fintan Lalor Cumann
Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Markievicz/Ryan/O’Farrell Cumann
Tallaght, Dublin
James Connolly Cumann
Ballyfermot, Dublin
Cúige Átha Cliath
Ard Chomhairle
Con Colbert Cumann,
Athea, Limerick
This Ard Fheis deplores the decision to close Kickham Barracks in Clonmel and relocate its personnel to Limerick and Kilkenny. The cost to the taxpayers of the transfer is estimated to be €5.5million without including the ongoing cost of securing the empty barracks site, and the loss of jobs that will cost the local economy an estimated €8million.
Connolly/Plant Cumann
South Tipperary
This Ard Fheis:
a) Commends the efforts of workers throughout the year in resisting cutbacks and breaches of their rights by employers, as was seen at Vita Cortex, La Senza, Stobart and Lagan Brick. These workers stand as examples to us all of the importance of collective action by workers in defence of their rights and entitlements;
b) Calls on Jack Ronan and the other shareholders of Vita Cortex to pay the agreed ex-gratia redundancy package of 0.9 weeks per year of service and calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to examine ways in which such agreed redundancy packages can be enforced and how redundancy protections for workers can be strengthened;
c) Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to enact legislation that would prevent employers from evading the payment of redundancy by transferring assets between different companies under common ownership, and give legal priority to workers over other creditors of a company entering liquidation.
Ard Chomhairle
Cúige Átha Cliath
Traolach MacSuibhne Cumann
Cork City
O’Neill/De Barra Cumann
Cork City
Doherty Delaney Cumann
Navan, Co. Meath
McCabe/Quigley Cumann
Ballymun, Dublin
This Ard Fheis recognises:
• That the right to collective bargaining is essential to protect the rights of workers, to prohibit victimisation of members and activists, and to ensure that the most vulnerable workers are protected from exploitation;
• At a time when the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government - encouraged by the Troika and employers’ organisations - are pushing a wage-cutting agenda that is undermining the rights of workers, the ability of trade unions to act collectively to protect the rights of workers and in particular lower-paid workers is critical.
Notes that:
• The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the accepted right to join trade unions includes the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike;
• Ireland is in breach of several International Labour Organisation conventions in this regard, namely: ILO Convention 98 (Article 1), ILO Convention 98 (Article 2), and ILO Convention 98 (Article 4), which promote and enshrine the principle of voluntary collective bargaining.
This Ard Fheis:
• Calls for the right to collective bargaining and union recognition in their workplace to be enshrined in law.
Ard Chomhairle
Galway City Cumann
This Ard Fheis:
• Criticises the failure of the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to legislate for an adequate replacement for the previous Joint Labour Committees (JLC) regime and in particular the ending of Sunday Premium Payments, the introduction of period reviews of the JLC system, and the exclusion of public holidays, payments in lieu of notice and redundancy from JLC agreements;
• Calls on the Government to bring forward legislation which will adequately deal with those issues and protect the rights of workers in a satisfactory manner.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis:
• Welcomes the belated moves to safeguard the rights of agency workers in the 26 Counties in the Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2011 but expresses concern at the exemptions as regards to sick pay, occupational pension schemes, benefits in kind, financial participation payments and bonus payments;
• Calls on the Fine Gael/Labour Party Government to remove these exemptions as every worker should be statutorily entitled to such rights.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis condemns any attempt by the Fine Gael/ Labour Party Government to introduce a low-wage economy under the guise of ‘curing ‘ unemployment.
This Ard Fheis also strongly encourages all workers to join and become active in a trade union as a method of defending their rights and conditions.
Jackie Griffith Cumann
South East Inner City, Dublin
This Ard Fheis:
Recognises:
i. The detrimental impact that austerity is having on rural Ireland as local communities are stripped of essential services, including schools, hospitals, post offices and Garda stations;
ii. The impact that unemployment and emigration is having on rural communities;
iii. The real anger in rural Ireland over cuts and measures such as the septic tank proposals, which are unfair to rural dwellers;
iv. Believes that government and policy makers must look at what rural Ireland has to offer rather than looking at how it can be targeted for cuts.
This Ard Fheis commits Sinn Féin to campaigning for a better deal for rural Ireland, including:-
• A fair deal for rural households;
• Creating job opportunities in rural Ireland;
• Protecting rural schools;
• Ensuring equal access to health services;
• Combating rural isolation.
This Ard Fheis:
a) Commends Martin Ferris TD and Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh who are embarking on a consultation with rural communities, including farming and rural representatives, campaign groups, local development groups, business people and other stakeholders to get their views on what needs to be included in a plan for the future of rural Ireland;
b) Commends Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Michelle O’Neill for standing up for rural communities in the Six Counties and for the work she has done on issues including rural mental health, CAP reform and supporting agri-food enterprises.
c) Commends Minister for Education John O’Dowd for securing an additional 5 percent for school budgets to mitigate the impact of British cuts; protecting viable schools in areas of need, including rural communities, for ensuring that issues such as accessibility, educational attainment and links to the community are key factors when determining the future viability of schools; and the continuing efforts of consecutive Sinn Fein education ministers in successfully raising attainment across schools in the Six Counties.
Ard Chomhairle
Galway West Comhairle Ceantair
Con Colbert Cumann
Athea, Co. Limerick
Joe MacManus Cumann
Garrison, Co. Fermanagh
This Ard Fheis calls on the Ministers of Agriculture in the 26 Counties and the Six Counties to work together to negotiate the best deal possible for Ireland in the ongoing Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) reform negotiations.
In those negotiations, Sinn Féin calls for a well-funded, flexible and simplified Common Agriculture Policy.
In terms of the EU Commission’s proposals for CAP reform, Sinn Féin:
a) Supports the retention of the Single Farm Payment and disagrees with a series of separate payments;
b) Agrees that any ‘greening’ element of the Single Farm Payment should not bring undue bureaucracy and restrictions on farmers;
c) Supports the retention of LFA (Less Favored Area) payments in Pillar Two;
d) Calls for a workable definition of an active farmer that focuses on activity rather than income;
e) Supports a small farmer scheme;
f) Supports the option of recoupling support for some sectors, particularly the beef sector;
g) Supports the move to a flat-rate system of payments in a managed and ordered way;
h) Calls for an increased level of Rural Development Funding (Pillar 2) for the Six Counties.
Ard Chomhairle
This Ard Fheis calls for the renegotiation of Ireland’s fishing rights to ensure that Irish people benefit from the Irish fishing resources while Irish fish stocks are protected from over-fishing by fishing vessels from other EU states.
Oranmore Sinn Féin
This Ard Fheis call on the Irish Government to reconstitute the Department of the Marine as a separate Government department within Government, with its own Minister for the Marine.
McGrath/O’Brien Cumann
East Waterford
This Ard Fheis, recognising the potential for job creation, will actively campaign for the restoration of our sugar beet industry and seek to acquire funds from the EU to help finance this endeavour.
Galway West Comhairle Ceantair
This Ard Fheis agrees that turf cutting is a cultural activity as well as an economic activity. An outright ban on turf cutting in certain state-chosen bogs is not a solution to habitat management in of itself and that many of these bogs are rich in biodiversity is due to the small-scale cutting and careful stewarding of the land by those who have been cutting turf on these bogs during their own lifetime and generations before this.
We are concerned that as fuel price continue to soar, one of the cheapest sources available to the ordinary person is being restricted while the 26-county state’s own vast peat resources continue to be over-exploited. This is another attack on rural Ireland.
Gortaglanna Martyrs
North Kerry
This Ard Fheis records its alarm at the spiralling emigration taking place across the 32 Counties. We recognise the particularly devastating effects of emigration upon rural communities on the island.
We consider this to be a national emergency. At present over 1,000 Irish citizens leave the Six Counties and 26 Counties every week, many of them young single people and young families.
This Ard Fheis calls upon Sinn Féin ministers in the Northern Executive and Sinn Féin TDs in the Dáil to ensure that the North/South Ministerial Council and the Irish Government address as an absolute priority the current emigration crisis and through it seek the formulation of an all-island cross-departmental strategy to intervene in this worsening situation in our country.
Kevin Lynch Cumann
Park/Craigbane, Co Derry
East Cork Comhairle Ceantair
Omagh Comhairle Ceantair