Paisley ‘must not block road to power sharing’

SINN FÉIN’S chief negotiator Martin McGuinness last night warned Dublin and London not to allow Ian Paisley to block the road to power sharing.

In his keynote address to the party’s Árd Fheis, Mr McGuinness also moved to reclaim the 90th anniversary of the 1916 rising for Sinn Féin by directly linking it to the IRA hunger strikes.

Mr McGuinness called on Rev Paisley’s DUP and the British government to match the commitment of republicans to the peace process.

“We are serious about engaging with unionism. But the DUP have to come to terms with the new realities. “They have a huge decision to make. I hope that they make the right decision,” he told delegates meeting in Dublin.

Mr McGuinness added that if Rev Paisley refused to cut a deal on power sharing there would be a “huge responsibility” on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to bluntly tell the DUP they would not be allowed to prevent progress.

“If that means stopping the Assembly salaries so be it. If that means abolishing the Assembly so be it. We want to see Ian Paisley sharing power.

“Republicans have delivered big time. The IRA has ended its armed campaign. Its time for people to deal with this fact and get real.

“I want to send out a clear message that Sinn Féin means business. We are up for the challenges ahead. Dublin and London need to show they can meet those same challenges,” he said.

Ahead of this April’s major national commemoration of the Easter Rising in Dublin, Mr McGuinness said the 1981 hunger strikes were a continuation of the spirit of 1916.

“On both occasions the heroism and self-sacrifice of a small number of Irish republicans, pitting their own lives against the might of the British war machine transformed the politics of the nation,” he said.

Mr McGuinness directly addressed unhappiness with the Good Friday Agreement among some delegates by insisting the peace process had transformed Ireland and must be seen through.

The Árd Fheis will today debate the party’s strategy for its role in the Dáil after the next general election.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Brian Cowen last night called for more North-South economic and infrastructural co-operation to cement the peace process.