Sinn Féin Árd Fheis - Questions remain to be answered

SINN FÉIN’S historic Árd Fheis, the first since the IRA took the bomb and the bullet out of Irish politics, effectively set the scene for the party’s bid to increase its Dáil representation in next year’s general election.

While most parties oppose getting into bed with Sinn Féin, the organisation is leaving all options open in the hope of holding the balance of power in the Dáil. However, most delegates were against doing business with the PDs.

While the IRA “war” may be over, the frustrating thing for Sinn Féin is the failure to reap political dividends from putting weapons beyond use. Despite decommissioning, the opinion polls reflect no increase in its electoral support.

Similarly, in the North the party is no closer to convincing hardline Unionists to share power.

According to chief negotiator Martin McGuinness, the present situation is untenable. If it drags on, he believes the Northern Assembly should be scrapped, the salaries of members withdrawn, and the two governments should “put it up to” Ian Paisley and the Democratic Unionist Party.

Significantly, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is considering ways of breathing new life into the process by restoring the Assembly, albeit with limited powers, and setting a final deadline for power sharing.

On the contentious issue of policing, the public will welcome the decision to call a special conference to discuss signing up to policing arrangements. This progressive move means that Sinn Féin will ultimately give the green light for Republicans to join the police. Tensions remain, however, with many members opposed to any participation in policing.

Resentful of charges that the IRA is still involved in intelligence gathering and punishment beatings, the party wants the Independent Monitoring Commission to be scrapped and the British army to withdraw from the North.

These are unrealistic demands. Old habits die hard, and there is reason to believe criminality is still in vogue. The long shadows of the McCartney murder and the Northern Bank heist continue to haunt Republicans.

Equally unrealistic were calls for the release of the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe. With an election looming, it would be wrong of Government to cave in to these demands, particularly in view of the controversy over the outrageous description by Toireasa Ferris, Mayor of Kerry, of that murderous robbery as a fundraising exercise.

Predictably, with the 90th anniversary of the 1916 Rising looming, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was critical of the Government’s approach to the question of unity. Speaking to the converted, he charged the coalition with abandoning the core principles of the 1916. In reply, the Government accuses Sinn Féin of hijacking the revolution.

Doubtless, many share the Sinn Féin view that a military parade is not the best way to mark the Easter Rising and that a civil celebration would be more appropriate.

But with the economy booming, Mr Adams knows this debate is unlikely to figure in the election campaign. Voters will be more interested in the party’s social and economic policies, its concept of health for all, its approach to soaring house prices, childcare costs, plus the vexed issue of taxation, particularly its proposed 5% rise in corporation tax, a move likely to turn off inward investment by international companies to Ireland.

Overall, it was a positive conference, reflecting Sinn Féin’s newfound pragmatism on such issues as policing, domestic political issues, and the intriguing prospect of going into government here in the Republic.