Equality and Human Rights

Caitríona Ruane

BY
 WENDY LYON

“First they came for the communists...” Quoting Martin Niemoller’s famous poem about the Nazis’ rise to power in Germany, Caitríona Ruane opened the Ard Fheis section on equality and human rights.  The outgoing South Down MLA said republicans should stand with all those suffering denial of their human rights and paid tribute to NGOs, trade unionists, the prisoners’ rights movement and especially to those standing in solidarity with the people of Rossport.  Ruane said Sinn Féin was the “engine of change” throughout the island.
Dublin Mid West candidate Joanne Spain spoke in favour of Emergency Motion 2,  calling for children’s rights to be enshrined in the 26 County Constitution.  Spain described the Dublin Government’s proposal as “not sufficient” but better than nothing. Sinn Féin’s proposed amendments would strengthen the government’s proposal, she added. She also called for the referendum to be held simultaneously with the general election in order to maximise turnout.  Spain reiterated Sinn Féin’s opposition to ASBOs, which contradicted the referendum proposal by infringing children’s rights.
A West Cork delegate endorsed Motion 24 calling for a strategy to challenge discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual/transgendered community.  She said present government policy gives succour to those engaging in homophobic bullying in schools, and commended Dublin City Councillor Daithí Doolan for standing up to the Polish president who made anti-gay comments during his recent visit to Ireland.
Motion 27, endorsing the party’s recent Gender Equality Report, was the subject of several delegates’ speeches.  Conor Murphy MP said that Sinn Féin must become a party of equals before it could achieve an Ireland of equals. He disputed suggestions that leadership initiatives have amounted to “tokenism” and said that the issue is finding talented female activists and getting the most out of them. A Wexford delegate expressed the view that some of the party’s use of women had amounted to tokenism, and argued that education and societal change are the key to gender balance.
Policy Director Shannonbrooke Murphy said that the report proposes a strategic approach that makes equality within the party achievable.
Councillor Cionnaith Ó Suilleabháin (Cork South West) spoke in favour of Motion 25 which called on the party to facilitate Ard Fheis access for people with disabilities, noting that little progress has been made on this issue despite its appearance in successive cláir.  Ógra representative Eugene Garvey said that it would bring about an “Ard Fheis of equals”.
Rose Dugdale endorsed Motion 32 calling for the establishment of anti-racism units at local authority level.  She said that this would assist our councillors in engaging with ethnic minority communities and would make our commitment to human rights an “operational reality”.
All of the motions in this session were easily passed.