Latest News from the 2011 Ard Fheis

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

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

Agriculture - Michelle O’Neill

Agriculture has always been Ireland’s backbone and now more than ever that backbone is needed. 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

Irish Unity - Niall Ó Donnghaile

I urge delegates to lend their support to this motion and remain proactive in ensuring the electoral and political growth of Sinn Féin across Ireland. The vital work undertaken by comrades within the United Ireland Taskforce in galvanising support for Irish Unity overseas cannot be underestimated – we thank them… Read more

Rev David Latimer Ard Fheis Address

Rev David Latimer's address to the Sinn Féis Ard Fheis Read more

Padraig MacLochlainn TD – International Affairs

This year has been a tumultuous one for so many across the world. Read more

Bairbre de Brún MEP – International/EU Affairs

Is iomaí rud a tharla san Aontas Eorpach ón Ard-Fheis dheireanach. Read more

Mary Lou Mc Donald TD – Uniting Ireland – Ard Fheis 2011

Enda Kenny, Éamon Gilmore and their respective political parties thought that sovereignty was old hat. They told us so in debate after debate on various EU treaties. They told us that Brussels would look after us. That the Lisbon treaty would bring jobs. Then the IMF arrived. Read more

Caral Ní Chuilin – Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure Culture agus an Ghaeilge

In my first interview as Minister I stated that I would be the Minister for the entire community, and that I had no interest in pursuing any narrow political or partisan agenda but that I genuinely wished to engage with and represent the entire community – and I hold to… Read more

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh - Culture agus an Ghaeilge

In these straightened times we often hear discussions of ‘wealth’, and who possesses wealth, and how it should be taxed etc. Important debates, certainly, and as Republicans there is an onus upon us to work towards an equal distribution of economic wealth. However, there is also an onus upon us… Read more