Engaging the Irish people in defining the New Ireland

BY ROISIN DE ROSA

Pat Doherty

Appropriately enough, the 2004 Ard Fheis opened with resolutions relating to the All-Ireland Agenda, which Martina Anderson, the party's All-Ireland Co-ordinator, introduced as "providing a framework through which we can engage the people of Ireland in defining the New Ireland they want.

"The All-Ireland programme is the overarching project which explains why we are here. It defines a progressive agenda to build the New Ireland, not as a 32-County Free State, but a progressive agenda for social justice, which can only be achieved through the people of Ireland, an Ireland where the people are sovereign."

"There are numerous areas that we as an all-Ireland party can co-ordinate campaigns on a 32-County basis," Martin McGuinness said. The resolutions dealt with all of these — A President for All Campaign, to enfranchise all the people of this island in electing a President; and putting the Charter of Human Rights out to consultation, as had been done in South Africa, to establish wide recognition of the need and support for a rights based society.

Resolutions called for expansion of the all-Ireland institutions as set up under the GFA; for the Dublin Government to expedite arrangements to allow MPs elected in the North to participate in Dáil debates; and to formalise representation from the North, and MEPs from the whole island, in the Seanad.

Many young people, Domhnall Ó Cobhthaigh (Fermanagh), Kieran Doherty (UCD), Damien McIlroy (Derry), Seán Olibhear (Belfast), Mickey Bravender (Monaghan) and Joan McDaid (Derry), joined the debate, calling for activists to promote this radical vision throughout civic society. They advocated integration through cross-border Integrated Area Plans to bring a united Ireland of Equals, "not some half baked back to back co-operation between North and South for a 32-County Free state. That is not our republican agenda to build an Ireland of Equals," as Damien McIlroy said.

"This is the vision we're putting to our electorate of a new Ireland. It is a vision which we can't deliver on our own," said Francie Molloy. "All parties claim they want a united Ireland. But what have they done to achieve one?" Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin pointed out: "Bertie had promised progress, but he has not even yet implemented one of the recommendations of the all-party Oireachtas Committee, which reported back in 2002. We need to make this vision part of campaigning. It is only partitionism to oppose it."

Pat Doherty talked of the disenfranchisement of 211,000 nationalist voters under the Electoral Fraud Act. "The Brits are presiding over the greatest gerrymander since partition, with every bit as far reaching effects as partition," Pat said. "Allegedly this was introduced to stamp out fraud. But that isn't the true reason at all. The only fraud is the disenfranchisement of young, working-class voters.

"The real reason for this legislation is to ringfence Sinn Féin's electoral growth: to protect unionists from their worst nightmare — that Sinn Féin becomes the largest party in the Six Counties.

"We are 15,000 votes away from being the largest party in the North," Martin McGuinness pointed out. Why did they introduce this legislation? "They didn't like the electorate's decisions — so they set about changing the electorate.

"I call on Bertie Ahern to implement his claimed intention to provide for representation in the houses of the Oireachtas for the people of the North. But I call on him to introduce the relevant measures now before the European and local government elections. I shouldn't have to ask Bertie Ahern more than once for my rights."

Pat Treanor ended the debate with a call for activists to engage in the sites of struggle set out by the All-Ireland agenda, which "refocus activists on why we are campaigning, and what our vision of the future is".

Martin McGuinness said: "We published a discussion document recently entitled Rights for All. Everybody should familiarise themselves with this document and engage community, church, trade unions and any other activist or community groups in your areas about their thoughts and suggestions on this subject. It is a vital part of taking forward our all-Ireland agenda for an Ireland of equals."