Sinn Féin's All-Ireland Agenda Explained

Sinn Féin All-Ireland integration spokesperson Barry McElduff

Tyrone MLA Barry McElduff is Sinn Féin's national spokesperson on All-Ireland Integration. In an interview with An Phoblacht, he talks about his work and its importance given the current catatonic state of the Peace Process.

Barry was speaking after a consultation meeting in Stormont with community groups from all over Ireland working in the field of disability, listening to their views on Sinn Féin's Rights for All charter.

An Phoblacht: Why does Sinn Féin need an 'All-Ireland Agenda'? Haven't republicans always wanted to unite Ireland?

Barry McElduff: Absolutely, yes. Sinn Féin has always campaigned for a United Ireland, 'an All-Ireland' if you like. Irish republicans place huge primacy on the importance of the National Question and this is only right.

Some months ago, I was asked to take on this responsibility. I am not sure if this is directly related to Tyrone's success in Croke Park last September, but I am happy to focus on this All-Ireland Agenda. Essentially, what we are doing is concentrating on how exactly to promote and achieve Irish re-unification through planned integration.

Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement is dedicated to increasing harmonisation throughout Ireland. Working closely with Martina Anderson, our party's All-Ireland Co-ordinator and with a very active party subgroup, I see that many people are working on putting in the infrastructure now for the inevitable re-unification of Ireland.

Even our political opponents are embracing the notion of interaction between the two states in this country from the point of view of business co-operation, trade and business links, spatial planning, and a single island economy, even just the idea of sporting teams being representative of the 32 Counties.

You are not about to argue that the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) has got us our united Ireland and that the struggle is effectively over?

No, far from it. But the Agreement flags up, through its institutions, that a United Ireland is coming. The writing is on the wall.

Of course it is just a staging post on the journey, a vehicle for taking us forward. But we should acknowledge that the Sinn Féin leadership negotiated into it many rights and structures that could be described as all-Ireland in embryonic form.

I remember a meeting in Navan, a couple of years ago, when Martina Anderson pointed out that the Agreement set up Implementation Bodies, which had executive authority on an All-Ireland basis. What is more, there were areas of co-operation between government departments in both states, including two human rights commissions charged to draw up an All-Ireland Bill of Rights to enshrine equality and an end to discriminination and sectarianism. Crucially, there was provision for an All-Ireland Ministerial Council.

Sinn Féin is working very hard to secure a major expansion of All-Ireland Institutions and Areas of Work as part of our wider All-Ireland Agenda.

Politics is about journey and destination. Is it provocative to suggest that republicans should go forward with a 1916 Proclamation in one hand and a copy of the Agreement in the other, the former being our overall context and guide, and the latter just part of the route map?

Not very much of the promise of the Agreement has been fulfiled and there are strong forces resisting change.

But what did you expect? That the British establishment with its securocrats would set up the Republic for us and deliver the Ireland of equals on a plate? Of course not. The Agreement is now the political context after decades of terrible suffering and prolonged struggle. It is down to us to drive this process of democratic change forward.

What is being done to get rid of the border?

The EU has backed the Good Friday Agreement with very substantial funding programmes, which are there to overcome the extreme impoverishment and disadvantage that people in the border regions have suffered as a result of the conflict.

The border counties are among the most impoverished areas of Ireland. The funding is supposed to build cross-border integration, to use the carrot of financial assistance to plan integration, and also to provide the wherewithal to enable cross-border infrastructural development — like a gas pipeline, roads, broadband access and so on.

Crucially, many of the programmes concentrate on building social capital, on providing training and other opportunities for people to develop their own communities. In effect, the funding is aimed at removing the artificial construct that is the border, by integrating economic and social projects, rather than have back-to-back projects on either side of the border.

As all-Ireland spokesperson, I will be hoping to ensure that the funding is properly allocated. We want to satisfy ourselves that EU funding is genuinely promoting participation by the people who live in border communities to take control of their own environments.

This is the key requirement if we are to build a human rights-based Ireland. You cannot give people rights, they have to take them. People who have been disadvantaged or marginalised need to be empowered to confidently demand their rights.

What sort of Ireland will it be once the border is gone?

The process of rubbing out the border is just a part of it. What sort of Ireland it will be depends on how well republicans drive this all-Ireland agenda, how well we can reach out to people, engage them in the process of building an Ireland of equals, based on human rights and the participation of minorities.

What else are you doing as all-Ireland spokesperson?

Well let me give you an example. Currently Sinn Féin is widely consulting on our Rights for All Charter. This is about creating an Irish Freedom Charter, a programme for justice and peace in Ireland. We are learning from the experience of South Africa in terms of formulating a vision of an alternative society based on political, economic, social, cultural and human rights.

We are meeting groups and individuals the length and breadth of Ireland to hear their views. We want to stimulate ideas and towards this end we are proactively engaging with all sections of society — from community groups and trade unions to voluntary organisations and all shades of political opinion.

Any thoughts on the upcoming EU and local elections?

This is most certainly an all-Ireland project. Electing a team of Sinn Féin MEP's to the European Parliament is a very exciting challenge and provides a new platform for highlighting the all-Ireland Agenda.

In relation to the local elections, it will be fantastic to see a major increase in our representation throughout the state. I have personally witnessed the electoral preparations in Donegal and Meath in the past fortnight.

Building electoral and political strength is a key aspect of our All-Ireland Agenda and our opponents have every reason to be worried. The only candidate who is widely known and respected across the Six Counties in this EU election is of course Bairbre de Brún, and we are confident that she will be elected.