Adams to lead SF into next election

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has again insisted he will lead his party into the next general election, but described himself as one of his “old fogies” trying to build a younger team.

The 64-year-old who has led the party for 30 years, has failed to indicate any willingness to pass it on to a new generation despite some criticism of his leadership since being elected to the Dáil two years ago.

Mr Adams said he believes he still has an important role in the party.

“I can only do it for as long as I believe I am performing a useful role in terms of changing lives for the better, for the people across the island,” he said.

He was speaking after his party’s ard fheis in Mayo over the weekend where he challenged the Labour Party to pull out of Government and allow Fine Gael to continue its “austerity programme” with the support of Fianna Fáil.

Criticising the “conservative culture” of the coalition, he said the junior party in Government should “stand by working people as Connolly and Larkin did”.

To the loud applause of delegates he urged Labour to “leave this government and leave it now” adding that this was “the only principled position” for the party.

He described the Government as “our own Tories in Dublin” who “like the one before it has failed the people”. Sinn Féin, on the other hand, would “stand for equality, social solidarity and freedom”.

The televised speech largely focused on the property tax which comes into effect in July, issues affecting rural voters and women, economic policy and emigration.

Sinn Féin will fight the property tax “tooth and nail”, he said, “and in government, we will abolish it”.

In a reference to recent comments by Leo Varadkar on the Personal Insolvency guidelines, Mr Adams said: “No matter what Government ministers say, no parent should be forced out of their job because they earn less than the cost of childcare.”

He said: “If the Proclamation of 1916 was a reality, families would not be punished, women would not be punished, children would not be punished.”

Repeating a theme that featured throughout the weekend, Mr Adams referred to “women victims” who “need justice” such as the survivors of the Magdalene Laundries, Bethany Homes and those who had undergone symphysiotomy.

He extended his sympathy to Praveen Halappanavar and praised his “grace and great dignity” during inquest into his wife, Savita’s, death.

It was time, he said, that doctors had “legal clarity” on the issue. “Savita’s death brought into sharp and tragic focus the failure of successive governments to legislate in the X case.

“The people have spoken and firmly placed the responsibility upon their Oireachtas representatives to legislate on the issue,” he said. “It’s time for protection for pregnant women whose lives are at risk.”

Turning to the North, he called for a “dialogue” with unionists who he said “have more in common with their republican neighbours than they might realise.”

He said: “There is an imperative on republicans, challenging though it may be, to build alliances on social and economic issues with working class loyalists and unionists.”