Léargas

Following the economic crash eight years ago two toxic banks in the 26 counties – Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide - were amalgamated into the state owned Irish Bank Resolution Company set up for that purpose. The then Fianna Fáil government handed it the responsibility of managing a range of loans that were in serious trouble. Redeeming them if possible or where necessary selling then on and getting the best price possible for the taxpayer. On the 18 April 2012, Sinn Féin’s Finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty received a reply from Minister for Finance Michael Noonan to a question he had asked several weeks earlier about a deal just undertaken by IBRC concerning loans to a company called Siteserv. Siteserv had borrowed €150 million from Anglo Irish Bank. The company was broke and appeared set to close. The deal, agreed by IBRC involved the acquisition of Siteserv by Millington, a company owned by businessman Denis O Brien, for€45.42 million euros. Seventy per cent of the...

    A view from Rathlin     Rathlin Island, off the coast of County Antrim, is our most northern off shore island. I was there at the weekend. The journey over in the ferry from Ballycastle was sublime. It teed up our expectation and anticipation of a wonderful day to come on one of Ireland’s last inhabited islands. The sky was clear, the sea was relatively calm, though still a bit bumpy in parts for those with shaky sea-legs, and the view was breath-taking.  We were greeted as we stepped ashore by the friendly faces and good natured banter of islanders and visitors alike. We were all there to take part in the Rise Foundations Rathlin Ramble to help raise money for a wonderful charity. The Foundation was established in 2009 by the singer and activist, Frances Black. The Black family have deep roots on Rathlin. Their father was an islander.    Santana, Frances agus Mise Rise stands for ‘Recovery In a Safe...

  Dublin Launch of Referendums Campaign Two years ago this week the 100 members of the Constitutional Convention, meeting in the Grand Hotel in Malahide in north Dublin, delivered a decisive vote of 79% in favour of amending the Irish constitution to provide for marriage equality. The three Sinn Féin delegates voted in favour of amending the Constitution to include a positive obligation on the State to give effect to a guarantee of marriage equality and to the equal rights of the children of these marriages. It was described by advocacy groups as ‘an historic step’ and it was. But like all such historic steps toward ending discrimination in all its forms and building real equality into society, there has to be a next step and a next step. In January the government finally published the wording for the referendum on same-sex marriage. In just five weeks’ time two referenda will be held. One is to reduce the eligibility age for a candidate for the Presidential elect...

There are countless dates in Ireland’s long struggle for freedom that deserve commemoration and celebration but none resonate more deeply in the Irish psyche than the Easter Rising of 1916. One reason for this is the astonishing bravery of the women and men who participated in it and the astonishing steadfastness and resolve of the leaders who faced death with great courage and were executed following it. Another is the Proclamation of the Republic and of the great principles of sovereignty, of freedom and equality, and of civil and religious liberty that it sets out in clear and impassioned language. However, none of this would have occurred but for the coming together of Irish separatists, republicans, socialists, nationalists, suffragettes, and Irish language activists who coalesced in a great revolutionary effort to liberate Ireland and establish a democratic and egalitarian republic on this island. It was a transformative moment in Irish history.   It is these prin...

April 9th 2015: Below is the text of a letter which I have been trying to get the Irish Times to carry for the last two weeks. It has refused.  A chara, The Irish Times has set out its clear opposition to Sinn Féin in advance of the next General Election. Last week the paper published three editorials in the space of seven days questioning Sinn Féin's political bona fides and fitness for Government. In addition Political Editor Stephen Collins (Sinn Féin casts a dark shadow over Irish democracy, The Irish Times, 14th March) made a highly charged, direct appeal to the entire political establishment to unite against Sinn Féin. Fintan O'Toole accused us of putting party interests first; of lying and of being incapable of understanding the concepts of accountability, openness and honesty. Each of these extraordinary anti-Sinn Féin polemics has been based on erroneous information and spurious claims. On March 7th, the editorial made the outrageous, unsubstantiated...

Eimear Ferguson is a Sinn Féin Councillor on Meath County Council. She represents East Meath which is part of the Louth constituency. Her father, Dessie, is a former inter county Gaelic footballer with Dublin . He played his club football with St Vincents. He won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship with Dublin in 1958 and 1963. He moved to Meath and began playing with Gaeil Colmcille winning senior titles with them in 1966 and 1968. So the GAA is in Eimear’s blood. A few weeks ago she and I and MEP Matt Carthy visited St. Colmcilles GAA club in East Meath. It was my second visit. It’s an amazing place. St. Colmcilles run many voluntary and community based activities, including mental health projects and it has opened up its sporting facilities for local citizens. The club members provide essential and positive support for hundreds of citizens. St. Colmcilles is a leading proponent of the GAAs Health Club Initiative which seeks to connect the GAA with communities t...

      Last Monday was the day 34 years ago when nominations closed for the historic Fermanagh South Tyrone by-election. Bobby Sands was at that point 30 days on hunger strike. He had been joined by Francie Hughes and Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O Hara.   The by-election had been caused by the death of Independent MP Frank Maguire. Harry West was the single unionist candidate. Frank’s brother Noel submitted his nomination papers. The SDLP were internally divided over whether Austin Currie should run for them. On that particular Monday myself and Jim Gibney, and Owen Carron, who was Bobby’s election agent, were sitting in a parked car in the convent grounds across from the electoral office at 40 Northland Row in Dungannon. We had decided that we wouldn’t split the nationalist vote but if Noel Maguire withdrew his nomination then we would withdraw Bobby’s. I was keeping in touch with Francie Molloy who was in contact with republicans in Lisnaskea. We kn...