Calls to back peace process

A Sinn Féin politician today called on people to back the peace process during more than 100 commemoration ceremonies to mark the 88th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising against British rule.

Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin’s Dublin candidate for European parliament elections later this year, urged weekend-long backing to “advance the peace process and support the campaign for Irish Unity and Independence.”

She told a meeting at Howth, Co Dublin – the first of Sinn Féin’s big cross border programme of events – “The difficulties in the peace process remain centre stage and Sinn Féin is determined to go into the proposed intensive talks to do business.

“The big question is are the British and Irish governments and other parties just as eagar to make progress at this time.”

She added “Over the next three days, more than 100 commemorations will take place across all 32 Counties as republicans come together to honour Ireland’s patriot dead and to set out our priorities for the time ahead.

“The difficulties in the peace process remain centre stage and there will be high expectations surrounding the proposed intensive talks due to take place at the end of the month.

“Sinn Féin will go into these talks to do business.

“Republicans have demonstrated time and time again our willingness to take risks and reach agreement.

“Six years on from the Good Friday Agreement, our commitment and our hard work on behalf of this process is unequalled by any other participant. It comes from our desire to see an end to conflict and a new future for everyone on this island.

” But in the long term a process cannot be sustained on the goodwill and actions of one party.

“For a process to work it requires the engagement of all the participants and it requires the two governments to live up to their word and not repeatedly walk away from deals.“