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Fine Gael members should question their leader on Irish unity - Ó Caoláin
Published: 9 August, 2005
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD
Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin has challenged the Fine Gael
party to state whether it still favours Irish reunification following what
he described as the "opportunist and partitionist" comments of Fine Gael
leader Enda Kenny. Deputy Ó Caoláin said:
"The Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny sees in the welcome return of the Colombia
Three an opportunity to attack the Fianna Fáil/PD Government on the one
hand and Sinn Féin on the other. In doing so he has raised an issue totally
unrelated to the Colombia Three by rubbishing proposals to provide
representation in the Oireachtas to citizens in the Six Counties. His
comments are both opportunist and partitionist.
"Deputy Kenny should explain to the Irish people how allowing speaking
rights to MPs of all parties in the North - not just Sinn Féin - would
undermine the democratic institutions of the State as he claims. The
leading figures whom Fine Gael regards as its founders all expressed the
desire to reunite Ireland - from Collins and Griffith to those in the 1930s
who founded Fine Gael in its present form and subtitled it 'the United
Ireland party'. Fine Gael members should ask their leader if this is still
part of the ethos of their party, or has partitionism taken over in theory
as well as in practice.
"Railing against any plan to allow for limited Northern representation in
the Dáil has exposed the Fine Gael leadership's position as partitionist in
the extreme and mirrors the comments of the most reactionary of DUP
members. Are all Fine Gael members happy to endorse such a position?
"It should be noted that Fine Gael voted for a Government motion in May
2003 which sought to 'take forward' the report of the All-Party Oireachtas
Committee on the Constitution which had recommended allowing for Northern
representation in the Oireachtas. This needs to be seen as an integral part
of the peace process and Sinn Féin will be pressing the issue in the months
ahead. Fine Gael should reflect on its position and endorse the common
sense of All-Ireland politics." ENDS
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