Having never met Gerry Adams before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
Interesting, intense, forthright, and charismatic are some of the words that would describe him and I am delighted to have met such an instrumental member of the peace process.
Some people have many controversial questions which they might like to ask Gerry Adams and one could go to town on the past and concentrate on the negative aspects of our history, but I thought that this was not the way forward so Gerry and I had a chat about today and tomorrow, which is much more important than the past. The future will be shaped by what happened in the past but there is no need to dwell on it.
Sitting in the Kilkenny Advertiser office Gerry and the Local Election and European Election candidate Kathleen Funchion spoke about the future of Sinn Féin in Ireland and their hopes for the party over coming years.
Economy
Gerry believes that Sinn Fein has some very realistic proposals that can help get the Irish economy back on its feet. His party’s proposals focus on job creation and combating unemployment.
“We have put forward proposals which we think can turn the economy around. It is about retaining jobs and creating new ones. There are a half a million people unemployed at the moment, but the economy cannot sustain itself on cutbacks and borrowings.
“In my opinion no bank should get a red cent unless it puts a cap on salaries and bonuses. The head of the ESB earned a half a million euro last year - this is more than what the president of America earns! Most middle income families can’t rationalise this. All of this has to end”
Gerry believes that money should be put into banks if they pledge to offer credit to troubled SMEs and offer relief for mortgage holders.
“The Government should be running the banks in my opinion. We are a wealthy country - the banks have got us into this situation and if we ordinary people were guilty of fraud we would end up in prison and the people involved should also be subject to due process,” he said.
Job losses
Gerry is very hopeful for those who have been made redundant in recent times and he said that if there was a clear strategy brought forward by the Government the people would respond positively.
“We have a confident, well-trained, labour force. People got used to a better way of life. But now we have had job losses in Galmoy, Waterford Crystal, NN Euroball, and possibly the brewery in Kilkenny which is worrying for this small area. If all the local agencies came together with a firm objective of returning people to work people would respond. This could be done if credit was loosened up for small businesses. We are also losing brand names in places like Waterford Crystal and the Government should intervene in this case — temporarily at least. We get elected to do things and these are the things we should be doing,” he said.
Sinn Féin in government
So with all their progressive plans for the Irish economy what future does Gerry see for Sinn Féin in government in the Republic?
“We are not interested in getting into government for government sake but yes you do need to be in government in order to influence and bring about change. We are about being in government, and in being there, empowering people. People have the right to a home, to universal healthcare, to a good education. We need to be in government in order to implement the policies we believe in. We have general support for our principles but we need to up our game and garner even more support. Now that the North has been stabilised we can concentrate on the South and we hope there will be a bright future here for Sinn Féin.”
Local Elections
The Local Elections are integral to the future of Sinn Féin in the republic and Gerry is very aware of this — hence the visit to the constituencies prior to election day on June 5 next. Kathleen Funchion is very hopeful about the possibility of a seat for herself on the council and her running mates in this upcoming election include Ray Quinlan of Ballyragget, Jamie Roche from Graiguenamanagh, Peader de Bluit from Piltown and John Cassin from Carlow. Gerry is hopeful that Kilkenny will produce at least one seat this time around.
“We are looking for a breakthrough. We have wonderful candidates. Kathleen will be very active whatever happens in the elections. She is a young mother and she has made her choice in politics. Mary Lou McDonald stormed in the Lisbon Treaty debacle taking on all the political parties and the business sector. We still think we are right.
Lisbon
The Lisbon Treaty was grasped by both hands by Sinn Féin in their staunch campaign for a No vote and as far they are concerned they won. Gerry will be insulted if the Government produces the same treaty to be voted on again.
“There should only be a second vote on Lisbon if the concerns of the No voters are taken on board. It is an insult if Lisbon is the same as before. Scare tactics have been used to influence the electorate. Ireland’s future in Europe is not an issue - what is an issue is what type of Europe that Ireland has become involved in. There are big questions to be asked over the future of the military and privatisation. People have been scared into voting yes.”
Gerry offered his tongue in cheek opinion on Libertas, businessman Declan Ganley’s political group which led the No campaign to Lisbon.
“I have spoke to him twice and in my opinion Libertas is akin to the PDs in drag. Sinn Féin does not have much in common with Libertas,” he added.
Shopping
It was interesting to get Gerry’s opinion on people in the Republic shopping in the North for better prices. He believes that this is happening because of VAT rates and borders.
“This practise is coming about because of VAT rates. VAT rates should be harmonised in the North and the Republic and then you would have a sustainable retail industry.
“This also points to the absurdity of ‘the border’. There are no physical borders any more and so people ‘crossing the border’ to shop are literally going to the next town in some cases. I think it is a disgrace that some politicians called on people not to shop in the North. I certainly would not say that it is unpatriotic. Two competing economies on a landmass the size of Ireland is absurd. We need a single economy which would benefit the economy of the entire country.”
United Ireland
Gerry is very optimistic about the vision of a united Ireland. He is still very hopeful that this will come about in the future.
“We are now in the phase of bringing it about. Our country is now democratic and peaceful and people in all sectors are seeing the sense of all-island jurisdiction. All island has primacy. It is a big challenge with the unions but we’re up for it. We need a national conversation about the type of Ireland we want to live in. The bottom line is that we can afford a universal health system. The money is there. The money IS there,” he concluded.
