Republican News · Thursday 30 November 2001

Treaty of Nice

A Chairde,

Following the release of the annual report on the EU enlargement issue, Foreign Affairs minister Brian Cowen claims the argument made in the run-up to the Treaty of Nice referendum that five new applicants could join the EU is now 'redundant'.

The question remains, why is Mr. Cowen still basing his argument on the issue of enlargement of the EU when this was clearly not a major issue with the Irish people. He has chosen to forget the other aspects of the Treaty which resulted in a No vote, such as the loss of a commissioner, increased powers being given to unelected committees and bodies and the support for a new Euro Army. The report on enlargement does nothing to assuage these concerns.

Are we to take it that a second referendum on the Treaty of Nice won't have these concerns addressed?

Mary Lou McDonald,
Dublin West Sinn Féin Representative

Changing voting system will change nothing

A Chairde,

In the Six Counties, multiseat constituencies with proportional representation can only follow the collapse of British rule, the departure of British troops and the end of partition.

Paul Cassidy's theory (An Phoblacht, 15 November) may hold a grain of truth, but is flawed in bringing the beleaguered and tortured Holy Cross schoolgirls into his hypothesis along with those other neighbouring Catholic schools.

Following Paul's line of logic, the first past the post voting system would have resulted in nationalists tormenting Protestant school children in the same way. However, this is unthinkable in the psyche of the republican/nationalist people and would never happen, whatever the voting system.

Republicans are empowered with the greatest weapon there is, truth. No deceit, no threat, no hatred, no illusions can match the strength of truth. Wishful thinking about changing the Westminster voting system will alter nothing. Commitment to ending partition and British military, political and economic domination will.

Name and address supplied

Oppose refuse charges

A Chairde,

As local councils prepare to discuss and vote on their annual estimates, I want to urge all Sinn Féin councillors throughout the country to ensure that they stand firm in opposing refuse charges and that they vote against them regardless of the pressures that they may have to endure from inside or outside the party.

Refuse charges are an unjust form of double taxation. Once again, the PAYE worker is being left to carry the burden. There is no incentive for people to reduce or recycle their waste as they will still be billed the same amount regardless of the quantity of waste they produce.

Over the years, Sinn Féin campaigned rightly against these unjust charges and other service charges beforehand. We campaigned and canvassed on the doorsteps in the 1999 local election on an anti-refuse charge platform, amongst other issues. People voted for us on that basis. It is essential that we do not act like Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour have done in the past, and betray that trust that the electorate put in us and that we uphold our promises and commitments and that we vote against refuse charges on all councils throughout this state.

There is no excuse for any councillor voting for these unjust charges. They are wrong. They should be abolished and we should be leading the campaign to bin these charges. We must now ensure that no Sinn Féin councillor plays any part in voting through these charges regardless of the excuses put forward - because there is no excuse.

Gerry Casey,
Sligo

Fuelling debate

A Chairde,

With reference to comments made by Sinn Féin West Tyrone Assembly member Barry McElduff (An Phoblacht, 8 November) for the 'All-Ireland harmonisation of fuel prices', I would like to ask him that when the Southern Border Counties were being bled white through the '80s and early '90s, did he or his Sinn Féin colleagues raise their voices then in objection? If not then, why now? What goes round comes round. It's rich to have a Sinn Féin representative refer to the Northern Ireland economy as 'our' economy - surely Sinn Féin being an all-Ireland party should be less exclusive and more inclusive.

He should word his considerations on matters of the economy with greater precision and care. Barry McElduff's statement would have sounded more fitting coming from a unionist.

Charlie McSkane,
Inniskeen,
Co. Monaghan

Coalition decision now, please

A Chairde,

At the 2000 Ard Fheis, the Ard Chomhairle tabled an emergency motion in the Increase Political Strength section of the clár. This emergency motion read:

"That this party will not be party of any coalition government without the approval of a special delegates conference." The Ard Fheis endorsed this motion.

Again at the 2001 Ard Fheis, the Ard Chomhairle proposed the same motion as above, and again the Ard Fheis accepted it.

At the AGM of the Leinster Cúige, which comprises eleven counties, a motion was endorsed instructing its Ard Chomhairle representatives to have this motion discussed at the next Ard Chomhairle meeting with the view to having the special delegates conference, which was agreed upon at two consecutive Ard Fheis, before the forthcoming elections.

Members have argued that the motion meant for the special delegates meeting to take place after the elections. But the emergency motion in 2000 and the motion in 2001 stated no such thing. The wording of the two motions is what is stated above.

There is no provision in the constitution of our party to convene 'a special delegates conference'. There is, however, a provision for an extraordinary Ard Fheis, which is somewhat different.

As was evident at the last two Ard Fheis, the vast majority of speakers were opposed to the notion of coalition.

With the General Election looming, it is incumbent upon this party to debate the coalition issue before the election, so as to give guidance to the many election teams who will be knocking on doors and stating our preferred option, whether Sinn Féin will enter into coalition with any other party or not.

I urge Ard Chomhrairle members from around the country to support the Leinster Cúige representatives in their call for this special delegates conference before the General Election.

Joe Barrett,
Portlaoise,
Co Laois

dytown monument plans

A Chairde,

The Upper Andersonstown '80/'81 Committee, which recently organised commemorations, exhibitions etc, now feel that it is time to commemorate and remember with pride all the men and women from the Upper Andersonstown area who have died in the recent conflict.

Our goal is to erect a fitting monument to the fallen dead of 'A' Company and the people who died at he hands of the British Army, RUC and loyalist death squads.

We have secured grounds for this monument. Our committee would like to hear from An Phoblacht readers with ideas as to what shape or form this monument should take.

In the new year we will begin fundraising events and all donations would be gratefully received. We would also like to take this opportunity to ask anyone who may have video or photographic footage to send us a copy. Anything associated with the conflict in Andersonstown would go on exhibition.

Go raibh maith agaibh.

Geordy Murray, Chairperson, John McArdle Vice Chairperson
Upper Andersonstown Commemoration Committee,
37a Tullymore Gardens,
Belfast BT 11 8NE
Tel: 028 90 622201