ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS – Campaign launched by Gerry Adams

SINN FÉIN President Gerry Adams TD and Vice-President Mary Lou McDonald this morning formally launched the party’s election campaign for the Assembly on May 5th.

Sinn Féin will be fielding 40 candidates in 18 constituencies.

Gerry Adams said:

Following the murder on Saturday of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr, Sinn Féin considered carefully whether or not we should proceed with this morning’s launch.

But the more we thought about it and discussed it, the more important it seemed to us that the political process cannot become a hostage to the unrepresentative group which murdered Constable Kerr.

The peace process is too important for that.

So we stand here determined to keep making politics work. To keep defending the political institutions and keep delivering for ordinary people and demonstrating what republicanism is about.

We are obviously conscious of the grief and pain being felt today by the family of Ronan Kerr, and Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson spoke for all of us over the weekend when they extended solidarity and support to the Kerr family.

Ceithre bliana ó shin dúirt muid go raibh rogha agaibh.

D'iarramuid oraibh vótáil ar son athrú atá fíor, vótáil ar son ceannaisaíocht dearfach agus chun vótáil ar son an t-aon pháirtí leis sin a sheachadadh.

Four years ago, we offered the people a choice. We asked you to vote for real change, to vote for positive leadership and to vote for the party that delivers – to vote for Sinn Féin.

Sinn Féin promised to promote equality, to deliver stable and inclusive power-sharing government in the north, to bring about the transfer of policing and justice powers, and to advance towards Irish unity and national reconciliation.

We pledged to continue to be bold and decisive, to stand up for ourselves by standing up to the governments and to those opposed to change.

Sinn Féin said we would deliver for all citizens in a continuous process of change. We delivered.

We asked for your vote as an endorsement of our peace strategy.

We asked for your vote to build a dynamic for change throughout Ireland.

We asked for your vote to help us shape the future in the way that you want, in the way that benefits all and in a way that builds the Ireland of Equals to which we aspire.

In our May 2007 manifesto, we promised to prevent double taxation water charges. That’s exactly what Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy did.

We promised to end academic selection and replace it with a new post-primary transfer system grounded in equality. That’s exactly what Education Minister Caitríona Ruane did.

We promised to redress the decades of under-investment and inequalities faced by rural dwellers. That’s exactly the process now begun by Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew.

We promised to prioritise the promotion of equality on the basis of objective need to tackle the structural inequalities faced by sectors and groups across this society. That’s exactly what Gerry Kelly and Martin McGuinness have done in the Office of First and deputy First Minister (OFMdFM).

And that’s why we’ve ensured that £100million will be spent over the next four years between OFMdFM and the Department of Social Development to target the most structurally disadvantaged sections of this society on the basis of objective need.

And we promised to deliver the transfer of policing and justice powers away from London. And that is what we achieved.

So don’t let the naysayers tell you that a locally accountable Executive and Assembly haven’t made a difference.

They have. And will continue to.

Sectarianism remains a major problem which must be confronted.

All forms of intolerance are unacceptable. Promoting equality for all is the key.

The future lies in Irish unity and national equality.

In February this year, on the same platform of republican values of citizenship and equality, we presented the electorate in the 26 Counties with an opportunity for them to make a stand.

Fourteen Sinn Féin TDs were elected to Leinster House, the largest number since partition 90 years ago.

Sinn Féin is an all-Ireland party. We are the only all-Ireland party. We are now in a position to effect significant change, North and South, and we are committed to doing so.

Tá go leor oibre le déanamh romhainn go fóill.

Ach is féidir linn a chinntiú nach mbeidh aon dul ar ais ná cúlú. Beidh muid ag gluaiseacht ar aghaidh.

Tá straitéis againn le deireadh a chur leis an deighilt sa tír seo agus chun Éire nua a thógáil – tír úr gur féidir libh cuidiú a mhúnlú.

Vótáil ar son athraithe ar fud na hÉireann, vótáil ar son ceannasaíochta ar fud na hÉireann, vótáil do Shinn Féin

Vote for change across Ireland, vote for leadership across Ireland, vote for Sinn Féin.