Sinn Féin Ard Fheis to coincide with centenary of Easter Rising

SINN FÉIN'S 2016 Ard Fheis will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, it has been confirmed.

The republican party's annual conference will take place on the 22nd and 23rd of April at the Convention Centre in Dublin meaning that Party President Gerry Adams' speech will be televised on RTÉ television on the eve of the centenary of the Easter Rising.

The decision to change the date of the Ard Fheis was taken by the party's Ard Chomhairle at a meeting in Dublin on Saturday.

Sinn Féin had originally scheduled its Ard Fheis for early February, but this was postponed as it is expected the General Election is to be called straight after the Labour Party conference on 30 January.

Once an election is called, media rules kick-in which force broadcasters to give balanced airtime to each of the main parties – and this would have deprived Sinn Féin of the televised leaders' address already afforded to others.

A party spokesperson told An Phoblacht:

"The overall theme of the Ard Fheis  will be a United Ireland – delivering on the ideals of 1916, a sovereign, independent and united Irish Republic based on equality and social justice."

On Sunday 24 April, Sinn Féin will hold an Easter commemoration at 11am at the GPO. The party will also be supporting a large commemorative event under the banner 'Reclaim the Vision of 1916', a citizens' initiative which will take place at 1pm the same day.

26 February is the most likely date for the General Election while Assembly Elections in the North will take place on 5 May.