I’m proud of our record in Government, Martin McGuinness tells Sinn Féin Ard Fheis

MARTIN McGUINNESS has told the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis that he stands on the party’s record of delivery right throughout the Peace Process – within the power-sharing institutions in the North, the All-Ireland Ministerial Council, the Dáil and councils the length and breadth of the island.

“I’m proud of our record in Government,” Martin McGuinness said.

“Our Ministers Michelle O’Neill, Carál Ní Chuilín, Jennifer McCann and John O’Dowd have led from the front in terms of protecting frontline services and bringing equality to the heart of Government.

“We have led the way in decentralising an entire government department to the north-west, we have directed additional funding to the most disadvantaged schools, we are revitalising the Irish-language community through investment in Irish-medium education and the Líofa Project, unemployment in the North has fallen by 26,000 and levels of foreign direct investment are at an all-time high.

“We have led on the progressive measures taken by the Executive, ring-fenced health spending, transformed the schools estate across the North, created 40,000 jobs as well as blocking water charges, kept student fees affordable and protected free prescriptions and pensioners’ travel.”

The deputy First Minister added though:

“We also recognise there is much more to do.

“There is no doubt we have faced many challenges in recent years, not least the relentless Tory onslaught on our public services and on those most in need.

“We have faced these challenges head on while others walked away and we delivered.

“We delivered half a billion pounds to support those most in need in our society.

“While others called for the Assembly to be collapsed and all powers handed back to the Tories, we stood up for public services.

We achieved an extra £500million pounds for our public services and another £500million for shared education and integration.

“We achieved this despite the negative agendas of London and Dublin governments wedded to the politics of cuts and austerity.”

He said that Sinn Féin achieved this despite the “relentless negativity” of smaller parties who opposed the Fresh Start Agreement “and who, only weeks from the election, can't tell the electorate if they want to be in the government or in the opposition”.

These are parties which have set out endless uncosted and unfunded election promises they will never deliver, he said – parties which call for joined-up government while preparing to walk out of the Executive.

“It’s long past time to move beyond this narrow, self-serving point-scoring,” the deputy First Minister said. “We need a more responsible, a more mature approach to politics in the Assembly because we know when we have worked together collectively we have made progress.”

He reiterated that the men and women of 1916 proclaimed a Republic which guaranteed civil and religious liberties for all.

“We take very seriously our responsibilities to respect and reach out to all our people.

“We have a responsibility and a duty to reach out to the unionist community in a spirit of generosity.

“I know that some people are uneasy at times about me reaching out to others but if we are to remain true to the spirit of the women and men of 1916 then we must continue this work.

“Others don’t always reciprocate but that is not a good enough reason to stop doing it.

“The Good Friday Agreement provides the political framework to achieve the vision of 1916.

“A century on from the Rising and 35 years from the Hunger Strikes, an agreed Ireland is desirable – an agreed Ireland is achievable.

“The vision of 1916 is alive and well, as relevant and inspiring today as it was a century ago.

“Together we can make it a reality.

“On May 5th, let’s take another step forward and return the strongest Sinn Féin team possible to the Assembly.”