McGuinness calls for intensification of peace efforts
The Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle is meeting in Dublin today to deal with a
report from the party's negotiations committee in relation to a review of Sinn
Féin participation in the Hain Assembly.
Speaking
following the meeting Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness
said: "There were serious misgivings expressed at today's Ard
Chomhairle meeting regarding the approach of two governments. Following a
lengthy discussion the Ard Chomhairle has agreed that Sinn Féin Assembly
members will participate in the Hain Assembly, on the same basis as before
the summer recess, with the sole purpose of restoring the Good Friday
Agreement institutions and we will therefore engage only in work that
genuinely contributes to that objective.' Mr. McGuinness It is still
possible to make progress in the coming period but it will only happen if
the Irish and British governments play a decisive role. It is their
responsibility to see major progress made in the time ahead and we need to
see an intensification of efforts if that is to happen.’
Mr.
McGuinness said:
"In June Gerry Adams
announced that Sinn Féin intended to hold a review into our participation
in the Hain Assembly. Today we discussed the report presented by the
party's negotiations committee which they produced following a series of
meetings with the party's Ard Chomhairle, Assembly members, TDs and
members of the party throughout Ireland.
"There
were serious misgivings expressed at today's meeting at the approach of
the British and Irish governments. It was clear from the outset that the
establishment of an Assembly with no powers and with a protracted time
scale was going to cause difficulties and that has proved to be the case.
Despite the best efforts of the majority of parties very little progress
towards restoration of the political institutions has been made over the
last four months.
"There was also
serious concern expressed that the stringing out of the process was
seriously undermining public confidence and reducing the potential for
progress, with repeated calls for the Irish and British governments to get
a grip on the process in the coming weeks. The meeting was given a firm
undertaking in writing from the British Secretary of State 'that achieving
the deadline of restoration on or before 24 November is firm and
immovable.'
"Following a lengthy
discussion the Ard Chomhairle has agreed that Sinn Féin Assembly members
will participate in the upcoming session of the Hain Assembly, on the same
basis as before the summer recess, with the sole purpose of
restoring the Good Friday Agreement institutions and only in work that
genuinely contributes to that objective.
"We
want to see the power-sharing institutions restored before November 24th
and we will continue to do all that we can to ensure that the
opportunities opened up last year are not squandered. It is still possible
to make progress in the coming period but it will only happen if the
Irish and British governments play a decisive role. It is their
responsibility to see major progress made in the time ahead and we need to
see an intensification of efforts if that is to happen.
"The
Sinn Féin Ard Chomhairle and the party's elected representatives from
the Assembly, Dáil, Westminster and European Parliament will meet in
the Deerpark Hotel in Howth, County Dublin on Friday 8th September to
discuss our approach to political events in the coming weeks, the upcoming
elections in the 26 Counties and our political programme for the Dáil and
Assembly."ENDS