Adams: Government has failed the country

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said today that the Government has totally failed the people of Ireland.

Speaking a meeting of the party’s Árd Comhairle in Dublin today, Mr Adams criticised the Government's handling of the current economic crisis.

Mr Adams said what was needed was a radical republican political agenda, based on citizen's rights.

“Following a very successful election campaign for Sinn Féin, we are now planning ahead for the North’s Assembly elections and discussing how best to promote the party’s progressive political agenda here in the South,” he said.

“The Taoiseach has commented in recent days about Fianna Fáil’s role in contributing to the economic and banking crisis and has claimed that there were no warnings from the political opposition about the property bubble.

“However, the truth is that Sinn Féin repeatedly raised this issue in the Dáil.

“The Government, for its own electoral reasons, and because of the vested interests which it sought to protect, chose to disregard this.

“The Government has failed the people.

“It is clear that a radical republican political agenda based on citizens rights is needed now more than ever.

“The Government’s most recent refusal to hold overdue by-elections because they fear the result, leaving constituencies unrepresented, is shameful. So is the refusal to accept responsibility for the current economic crisis.”