Ard Fheis Speeches
Presidential Speech by Gerry Adams TD at Sinn Féin Ard Fheis, Waterfront Hall, Belfast.
A cháirde, Tá failte romhaibh uilig chuig Ard Fheis Sinn Féin i Halla cois cuain anseo i mBéal Feirste cois cuain. Nach mór a d’athraigh an saol anseo. Read more
Martin McGuiness – Ard Fheis 2011
Thank you Niall, the youngest First Citizen of the City of Belfast, and a resident of the Short Strand a proud Republican community within walking distance of the Waterfront Hall. Read more
Martin McGuinness Ard Fheis 2011 - Towards a New Republic
In five short years the people of Ireland will commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising. It is our job as Republicans to map out where we want to be in 2016 – and while five years may seem only a short period in which to bring about the sort… Read more
Martina Anderson - keynote address - Partition equals injustice and poverty; Integration equals prosperity and equality.
For those outside our Party who question the United Ireland agenda they should reflect on the impact the Border has on the economic and social life of the island. It has separated communities from their natural hinterlands and impacted detrimentally on their life chances, leading to social, economic and economic… Read more
Policing, justice and equality - keynote address - Jonathan O’Brien
Sinn Féin has always been at the forefront in pushing for positive change to transform the delivery of justice on the island of Ireland. Read more
Raymond McCartney - keynote address - Justice & policing
Ba mhaith liom labhairt ar son run 182 agus 183 Our strategy for transforming justice and policing in the six counties is working Read more
Presidential voting rights - keynote address - Conor Murphy
When Bobby Sands was elected MP for Fermanagh/South Tyrone the British government decided it didn’t like that particular outcome and immediately introduced and passed legislation to change the rules of the electoral game. The fact that this back-fired on them and Owen Carron was elected to replace Bobby and, of… Read more
Political reform section - keynote address - David Cullinane
The topic of political reform has been a live issue in recent times. The collapse of the economy here and internationally has drawn the attention of the people to serious deficiencies within the political system. Read more
Peace process and truth section - keynote address - Pat Sheehan
There is a widespread concern in respect of the attitude of the British Government to an effective truth recovery process that extends far beyond Sinn Fein’s constituency. Read more
Housing section - keynote address - Alex Maskey
“Over the course of this debate on housing delegates from across the country will undoubtably highlight the need to adopt radical measures for Mortgage Relief to alleviate the plight of thousands of homeowners who are in real danger of losing their homes. Read more
Housing section - keynote address - Dessie Ellis
The provision of that which is most basic among the needs of human beings is fundamental in the shaping of a society. Read more
Health section - keynote address - Michelle Gildernew
As Irish Republicans, our inspiration to make health a national priority stems from the Democratic Programme of the First Dáil Éireann of 1919 which states “It shall be the duty of the Republic to take such measures as will safeguard the health of the people.” Read more
Health section - keynote address - Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
I urge your support for Motion 126 in the name of the Ard Chomhairle and I commend the other motions on Health from cumainn all across the country. Read more
Kathryn Reilly - keynote economy speech
This year the Irish Cricket team beat England. They have continued to progress and are now ranked 11th in the world. ...............What has this got to do with the Economy? Simple. As a small island we have to maximise the efficient use of our resources Read more
Michelle O’Neill - keynote eceonomy speech
In Ireland the agri-food sector is one of our economies most important sectors. In the south it has an annual output of over 24 billion euro and employs some 150,000 people. In the north it has annual output of £5.2 billion and employs 55,000 people. Read more
Paul Maskey - keynote economy speech
Austerity cuts are something that was fostered on us by the British Tory and Lib Dem coalition Government to the tune of £4billion. It is wrong for the Tory led government to impose these cuts and Sinn Féin has stated that and opposed their decision from the start. Read more
Conor Murphy - keynote economy speech
Much was been said and written about the economic disaster we find ourselves in. The responsibility for this banking crisis brought about by greed among bankers and developers and cronyism in government. Read more
Mary Lou McDonald - keynote economy speech
One thing has been very obvious since the Fine Gael/Labour government came into office. Despite being in opposition for more than a decade they have absolutely no plan of their own for economic recovery Read more
Pearse Doherty - keynote speech on economy
The southern Irish economy is still in crisis. Unemployment, now standing 449,600, has risen since Fine Gael and Labour took office. Read more
Jobs - Johnny McGibbon
Sinn Féin is the party that faces challenges head on. We are the party that grasps the initiative and shows the leadership our society requires. Read more
Northern voting rights, Presidential election - Michaela Boyle
Mary McAleese is universally applauded for the manner in which she has embraced the office of Presidency -not least because of her mould-breaking efforts which have seen the culture of the Office moving away from merely a staid official functionary role to one which endeavoured to reach out to every… Read more
Housing - Maurice Quinlivan
The word crisis is often overused, however we do have a housing crisis-a serious one. It is a crisis created by the ineptitude of the last government and sustained through the indifference and broken promises of the current administration. Read more
Public sector cuts - John Brady
In the run up to the elections in the south we had many promises made and many grandiose statements. Read more
Truth and legacy issues - Caitriona Ruane
A chairde Every society must answer the question : who will police the police? As our society moves out conflict, policing the police is imperative The new beginning to policing must be protected from the old order who do do not want change. That needs full accountability. “everything which is… Read more
Jobs - Cora Harvey
Families across the state are struggling. The political choices made by successive right wing government have meant real hardship for many people. Read more
Jobs - Cora Harvey
Families across the state are struggling. The political choices made by successive right wing government have meant real hardship for many people. Read more
All Ireland economy - Matt Carthy
“We cannot afford the north” - One of the myths portrayed by establishment political parties in the 26 county state for decades. Sometimes they whisper it quietly, sometimes they’re more blatant – all the time trying to slowly convince people that a united Ireland would cost them money. Read more
All Ireland economy - Phil Flanagan
As we all know, across the island of Ireland, we have two different currencies, two different tax regimes, two different systems for accessing public services, two different systems of support for small and medium sized businesses. On an island as small as ours such duplication makes neither political nor economic… Read more
Tourism and job creation - Sandra McLellan
A chairde, the potential role that tourism, and the hospitality sector, have to play in Ireland’s economic recovery is enormous. Read more
Campaign against cuts - Paul Maskey
Accountability, transparency and efficiency. These are words that we have heard in abundance over the past months. Read more
Campaign against cuts - Eoin O’Broin
Despite the optimistic predictions of economic recovery from the Fine Gael/Labour government it is clear that austerity is just not working. Read more
Workers rights - Senator David Cullinane
Protecting the pay of low income workers A lot has been said and made about the so called Celtic Tiger. It seems almost a lifetime away since Charlie McCreevey boasted of a rising tide bringing in all boats. The reality is that the boom created a tiered and unfair society.… Read more
Youth unemployment - Senator Kathryn Reilly
By the end of this week the future of another 1,000 people will have been decided by Government inaction. By Christmas, hundreds of thousands will learn that the cost of daily living will have climbed beyond their means, if social welfare is cut again. Read more
Family Taxes - Paul Donnelly
We are the in the midst of one of the greatest economic crisis that has faced Ireland in history. We, the ordinary people of this state are being burdened with a debt in the hundreds of billions. Read more
Water Charges - Aengus Ó Snodaigh
The Fine Gael/Labour government is committed to taxing water. They have been congratulated by the IMF and EU for agreeing to tax this most basic of necessities, to pay for the greed of speculators. Read more
Gerry Kelly –Key note address – Policing and Justice
Police accountability cannot be conditional. However Community consent for policing is. The prolonged negotiations on policing were about the achievement of a civic policing service which is impartial, community based, accountable and representative of the whole community. Read more
Justice - Jonathan O’Brien
At a time of economic recession the people of this island has many challenges facing them. With the right policies, political will and courage to face down these challenges I am confident that we can overcome. Read more
Health - Michelle Gildernew
The best way of ensuring that babies are not at risk of a GBS infection or complications arising from it, is to test expectant mothers between weeks 33 to 37 of their pregnancy. Read more
Health - Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Conservative Governments in Dublin and London are pursuing austerity programmes that increase poverty and inequality and diminish vital public services including healthcare. Read more
Jobs - Kathleen Funchion
A lot has been promised but little has been delivered. The Government’s recent jobs initiative is far too little too late. The jobs initiative was, in the words of Taoiseach Enda Kenny, a down payment on commitments made in the programme for government. Read more
Jobs - Padraig MacLochlainn
The curse of unemployment does not stop with the people on the dole. Hundreds of thousands of children are dependent on unemployed parents. Read more
Public sector reform - Mary Lou McDonald
Accessible, efficient and quality public services are hallmarks of a successful society and a productive economy. As citizens we have a right to expect services that meet our needs. As taxpayers we expect a productive, value for money public sector. Read more
Equality - Martina Anderson
A chairde we are told that one of the main objections to a right to dignity is because dignity is hard to define; yet indignity - is easy to recognise. Read more
Education - Sean Crowe
Sinn Féin stands by the children of the nation. We will continue to oppose and harry this government in every step that it takes to placate its conservative partner in coalition and the IMF-EU-ECB troika by way of attacking our children in their needs for a decent education. Read more
Education - John O'Dowd
Through education we can help eradicate poverty, we can tackle discrimination, instil the ethos of equality and bring quality to the life of each citizen, each neighbourhood and each community, across society. Read more
Agriculture - Michael Colreavy
Sinn Féin is committed to working on an all-Ireland basis to ensure that agriculture on this island thrives and reaches its full potential. Read more
Culture/Gaeilge - Trevor Ó Clochartaigh
In the north, even the idea of an Irish Language Act or Strategy appears to be an anathema to political unionism. Read more
Culture/Gaerilge - Carál Ní Chuilín
I want us to reach a position where the Irish language is learned, spoken and enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and traditions. Read more
Economy - Conor Murphy
Like many nations we are struggling with the consequences of the global financial crisis. However, our ability to recover on this island is being strangled by anti-people austerity measures being pursued by the governments in Dublin and London. Read more
Economy - Pearse Doherty
The EU/IMF austerity deal is crippling our economy and our society. Read more