Sinn Féin Republican Youth fly the flag in City Hall debate

From the outset, the ‘Unionist Unity' (DUP/PUP/UUP) benches spiralled into rants of outdated rhetoric

SINN FÉIN REPUBLICAN YOUTH activists took part in the first cross-party youth debate in the council chamber of Belfast City Hall this week – and it was a lively affair.

From the outset on Tuesday night, it was clear the ‘Unionist Unity' (DUP, PUP and UUP) benches were on an anti-Sinn Féin crusade as they spiralled into rants of outdated rhetoric.

Despite these blatant displays of bigotry throughout, the strong Sinn Féin team, predominantly made up of Mairéad Farrell Republican Youth activists, kept their cool.

A number of motions were proposed from the floor ranging from equality and welfare reform, to fiscal autonomy for the North and youth unemployment and emigration.

Glenavy Sinn Féin representative Mary-Kate Quinn, along with comrades Seán Bateson and Dominic Sherry-Adams, highlighted the need for and the benefits of fiscal autonomy for the North, deploying the term “the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland” as the foundation of their argument.

Amidst constant jeers and heckles from the opposite benches, Saoirse O’Neill and Kathy Crawford, Belfast Republican Youth spokespersons on proposed Welfare Reform, held their nerve as they gave a clear and solid Sinn Féin line on the potentially catastrophic British Government Tory cuts imposed from Westminster.

As the debate went on, the ever-increasing sense of unionist elitism and paranoia became evident to the rest of the chamber and the public gallery as the Sinn Féin team was continually refused permission to make points of order.

Mairéad Farrell Republican Youth Chairperson Eoín McShane pointed out, after some time, how this suggested a clear lack of belief and understanding in what those on the unionist benches were actually talking about and accused the ‘Unionist Unity’ delegation of a lack of confidence in their own position as they blocked interventions

He concluded by saying:

“If I am wrong, and if unionists in this city actually are confident, then what is there to fear from a vote on Irish unity?”

Following further disruption, and unionist jeers of ‘hear, hear’ in mock English accents, north Belfast activists Anthony Lowry and Mick Vernon calmly dealt with a final onslaught of failed unionist intimidation as they calmly and professionally dealt with a number of difficult, sectarian contributions.

All in all, it is quite clear that the Republic is safe in the hands of this generation and that we will deliver Irish unity.