Northern Ireland election sectarianism
Senator D’Arcy condemns sectarian election leaflets in north Belfast and asks the Foreign Affairs Minister to debate the UK election results and Sinn Féin’s conduct.
I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, to consider the results of the recent UK elections. I would particularly like to discuss the matter of the Sinn Féin candidate in the north Belfast constituency who sent out election leaflets stating Catholics were now in a majority in the constituency, with Catholics at 46.9% and Protestants at 45.6%, and suggesting people made change and history. Have we learned nothing? Is this what it means to be an Irish republican? What about the ideals of Wolfe Tone with regard to the unity of Catholic, Protestant and dissenter, or the ideals of the Proclamation, cherishing all the children of the nation equally? To add insult to injury, the Northern Ireland Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure tried to justify the remarks. At least, a former chairman of Sinn Féin at Queens University Belfast was brave enough to state it was an absolute disgrace and the very antithesis of what republicanism represented.
Comment on this
Everyone else has been silent. To quote a former Member of this House:
Was it for this the wild geese spread
The grey wing upon every tide;
For this that all that blood was shed,
For this Edward Fitzgerald died...
The sectarian politics that this represents has no place on the island. Are these the true colours of Sinn Féin? It should explain itself. I would like the Minister for Foreign Affairs and DTrade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, to come to the House to discuss these issues before things go too far.