Ferris urges debate over Sinn Féin’s ‘identity crisis’

SINN FÉIN has been urged to begin a far-reaching debate about what the party stands for by former mayor of Tralee Toireasa Ferris.

Writing in the Sinn Féin paper An Phoblacht, Ms Ferris laid bare the identity crisis currently engulfing the party’s southern section as it comes to terms with its failure to build on gains in the 2004 local elections.

In the article Ms Ferris states: “Voters are unclear about what we stand for, which is not surprising as I’m sure many of us are starting to wonder about this also. We have been trying to appeal to too broad a spectrum of people and as a result have lost touch with our base.”