Top Issue 1-2024

9 August 2014

Resize: A A A Print

Sinn Féin to take key European role on Palestine

Sinn Féin MEPs Lynn Boylan and Martina Anderson at a Gaza solidarity vigil at the EU Parliament


SINN FÉIN is now in the joint-largest Irish parliamentary group in the European Parliament.

Its emergence as the largest party of the Left in Ireland is seen as highly significant within the EU’s institutions. Other anti-austerity parties (particularly in Greece, Spain and Portugal) have made electoral advances.

Alongside Sinn Féin, these parties have swelled the GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament.

Next month, GUE/NGL will send a delegation to visit Palestine. Martina Anderson will represent Sinn Féin.

It has been politically agreed that Martina will be appointed as Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council. This hugely significant appointment will be a major diplomatic opportunity to build on Irish solidarity with the victims of Israel’s siege against Gaza and to support implementation of the two-state solution.

Since their election, Sinn Féin’s MEPs have been guided by a political strategy aimed at maximising support for the Peace Process and Irish unity; accruing maximum benefit from the EU institutions for all Irish citizens; opposing austerity; supporting equality; and promoting democratic reform, accountability and transparency.

They have secured positions on all ten committees prioritised by Sinn Féin, including Civil Liberties; Agriculture & Rural Development; Fisheries; Employment & Social Affairs; and Regional Development.

Martina Anderson will be overall rapporteur on Civil Liberties for a series of future reports on ‘Legal Highs’. Matt Carthy will sit on both the Agriculture & Rural Affairs and Economic & Monetary Affairs Committees.

Lynn Boylan will sit on the Parliament’s working group on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, while Liadh Ní Riadh will be the Budget Committee’s rapporteur on that fund. The British Government doesn’t apply for these funds and has made it impossible for the Northern Executive to do so, whilst the Irish Government has been incompetent in its approach.

Already the MEPs have provided extensive briefings within the institutions on the Northern political process. Martin McGuinness will consolidate that in October when he visits the Parliament to brief key officials and MEPs. Last year, a collusion campaign delegation visited Brussels. The Sinn Féin team will bring a renewed focus to Britain’s role in collusion and state-sponsored killings in this forthcoming parliamentary term.

The Sinn Féin team has also commenced work with other MEPs to address banking debt.

Other plans are being developed to highlight the needs of Leader groups, and to seek an all-Ireland review of fishing quotas.

Sinn Féin MEPs have started to make an impact in the European Parliament – there is much more to come.

Follow us on Facebook

An Phoblacht on Twitter

An Phoblacht Podcast

An Phoblacht podcast advert2

Uncomfortable Conversations 

uncomfortable Conversations book2

An initiative for dialogue 

for reconciliation 

— — — — — — —

Contributions from key figures in the churches, academia and wider civic society as well as senior republican figures

GUE-NGL Latest Edition ad

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland