There is an alternative for peace in the North

IN his speech to the Sinn Féin Árd Fheis last weekend, Gerry Adams was reported as saying: "No matter how daunting, tedious and frustrating this process may be for the governments and the rest of us, there is no alternative way forward."

But there is the ÉIRE NUA programme adopted by the Árd Fheis of Sinn Féin in 1971 and jettisoned by Mr Adams and his supporters in 1981/'82 on the grounds it was "a sop to unionists". The way had to be cleared for them to enter Stormont, Leinster House and Westminster and convert a revolutionary movement into a constitutional party.

However, one section remained steadfast in its continued rejection of British rule in Ireland, and it reorganised under the banner of Republican Sinn Féin.

It updated and re-adopted ÉIRE NUA which proposes a new four-province federal Ireland with optimum devolution of power and decision-making to the lowest possible level.

On present voting patterns, the nine-county Ulster projected would give unionists a working majority with nationalists within reach of power. Maximum devolution to the regions and districts would give natural horizontal sharing of power as opposed to the artificial enforced version being attempted at present under British rule.

There is an alternative way forward but Mr Adams and co abandoned it on their way to the flesh-pots. ÉIRE NUA is that alternative and Republican Sinn Féin continues to advocate it.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh

President

Republican Sinn Féin

223 Parnell Street

Dublin 1