The spotlight has been well and truly on Assembly politics over the last couple of weeks, and not always for the right reasons. Sinn Féin has highlighted for some time what the key issues are. The media has inaccurately summarised the problems as 'differences between the Sinn Féin and the DUP', ignoring the crucial role and responsibility of the Irish and British Governments in ensuring the full implementation of the terms of the Good Friday and St Andrew's Agreements. Free article

Threats purporting to emanate from the shadowy loyalist organisation the Orange Volunteers have been issued against leading Sinn Féin politicians including the party President Gerry Adams. The PSNI informed all those who have been threatened that they were being targeted by the loyalist group, which is based mostly around the South Antrim area. As well as party leader Gerry Adams, those under threat include Stormont Education Minister Caitríona Ruane and Junior Minister Gerry Kelly. Free article

ALLEGATIONS of hypocrisy and corruption are at the heart of recent revelations concerning Iris Robinson. Beyond the salacious details of an affair between someone old enough to know better and a vulnerable teenager, is the memory of a public figure who demanded the right to express deeply offensive views about other people's sexuality on the grounds of religious liberty. Before the scandal broke and Iris Robinson was forced to resign, she held a string of political offices. A member of the DUP, Iris Robinson was elected to the British House of Commons as MP for Strangford, at the same time she held an MLA seat in the Stormont Assembly and a council seat in Castlereagh Borough Council. But that's only half the story. Free article

This week Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, in his regular online blog, addressed issues arising from the trauma affecting his family Free article

AS the media and political commentators focus on the current difficulties of the DUP and speculate about the consequences for the political process, elsewhere interest is growing in a conference to be hosted by Sinn Féin at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in London on 20 February which aims to present a serious discussion on Irish unity. Far from being an issue which is off the agenda, the breadth of speakers and contributors, and the initial response, is demonstrating that this remains the central underlying question to be addressed. Free article

KILLIAN FORDE has resigned from Sinn Féin as Dublin City Councillor for the Donaghmede Ward and has defected to the Labour Party, taking the Sinn Féin seat with him. The Cathaoirleach of the Patrick Cannon Sinn Féin Cumann, Donaghmede, and Ard Chomhairle member, MÍCHEÁL Mac DONNCHA, gives the local party's view. Free article