15 September 2005 Edition

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Doherty addresses Liam Lynch commemoration

Speaking at the annual Liam Lynch commemoration, on Sunday 4 September in Knockmealdown Mountains, County Tipperary, Sinn Féin Vice President and West Tyrone MP Pat Doherty said that Liam Lynch was first and foremost a republican revolutionary, a visionary, and was proud to play his part in the development of the struggle for Irish Freedom.

He said present-day republicans have sought to continue that work. "We have sought to undo the damage caused by partition and undo the damage caused by the creation of artificial barriers between the Irish people.

"The flawed policy of partition and the establishment of a sectarian statelet in the northeast of our country resulted in decades of institutional discrimination and violence against nationalists in the Six Counties."

IRA statement

Doherty said that the IRA statement in July provided both challenges and opportunities for many people: "Unionism has lost its excuse for non-engagement. The British Government has lost its excuse for failing to deliver key elements of the Good Friday Agreement.

"But more importantly for Irish republicans and nationalists, for those of us who want to see an end to British rule and the establishment of the republic, it provides an opportunity to build new alliances, to devise and develop new strategies and shared positions and to drive forward the united Ireland agenda in the time ahead. Of course we must ensure that the Good Friday Agreement is implemented in full. That the outstanding issues on policing, justice, human rights and demilitarisation are swiftly concluded. We of course want to see the all-Ireland power sharing institutions re-established and re-established soon. However, that is only part of our work. The big challenge is to get moving on the work of Irish unity.

Planning for Irish unity

We must begin planning for Irish unity in a very structured and scientific fashion. I believe that the Irish government should bring forward a Green Paper on this issue and appoint a Minister with responsibility for developing and advancing the all-Ireland agenda. I see no reason why those of us elected in the North as MPs — nationalist, republican and unionist — should not be afforded the opportunity to represent those Irish citizens who elect us in the Dáil. I see no reason why Irish citizens in the Six Counties should not be part of electing the Irish President. These are the sort of practical measures which need to be undertaken in the short term as we actively drive forward the republican project in the coming months and years."

Inequality — an all-Ireland issue

Doherty went on to say that injustice and inequality however were not confined to the Six Counties. "It is an all-Ireland issue. We only have to look at our TV screens the range of injustices and inequalities in almost every aspect of life that face very many people across the 26 Counties as well. Look at the tribunals including those into Garda corruption; look at the chronic state of our hospitals; look at our overcrowded schools; look at the governments failure on childcare; look at the outrageous cost of housing.

Rossport 5

"But it doesn't stop there. Look what this government has done in County Mayo the home of Michael Davitt and the Land League. Working hand-in-glove with multinational oil companies they have sought to sell off our natural resources with no benefit to either the people of Mayo or Ireland. And in the process have been quite happy to see five honourable men locked up for defending the rights of their community and the wider interests of the people of this state.

"It would have been considered inconceivable that the Rossport Five would still be in jail today when they first embarked on their protest. But it is even more inconceivable that this Government has done absolutely nothing to challenge the hegemony of the oil companies in relation to this very serious issue.


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