Progress on local and national fronts

By Gerry Kelly
As an activist now in government it is necessary at times to step back and gauge progress.
We become so engrossed in our day-to-day battles and campaigns that it is useful for us to take some time out to reflect on that progress, on our strategy for delivering the United Ireland of equals.

For instance, in recent weeks the opening of the final section of the Belfast to Dublin motorway was a clear demonstration of all-Ireland integration.
I could add the all-Ireland political infrastructure, which now includes DUP ministers willingly working with the rest of Ireland's ministers mapping out the way ahead across all departments.

Or perhaps the regional cancer centre in Derry which serves the needs of people from right across the North West of Ireland.
But as we face into yet another unwanted parade through Ardoyne this weekend the focus will be on those who continue to cling to the certainties of the past, rather than on those that take risks to embrace a future based on equality and respect.

Those elements that seek to undermine the peace process by exploiting the community of Crumlin Road/Ardoyne either by trying to assert dominance through marching against the will of the residents, or those militarists whose strategy is creating chaos in an attempt to spiral us back into conflict are an unrepresentative and isolated minority.
Sinn Féin continue to extend the invitation to dialogue to all these groups with the clear intent of finding resolutions. Last week we agreed to meet GARC at their request. They didn't turn up.

Sinn Féin did meet the North and West Parades Forum. While it was made clear that it was not a negotiation, it was a helpful initial meeting.
We made it clear that negotiations on parades must be conducted between those who democratically represent the residents affected, which in this case is CARA, (Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association) and those who wish to parade.

Meanwhile the work to build the peace continues. Progress has been made on the new Parades Bill, which will focus on contentious parades. When trades unions and others aired their fears during the consultation process that any legislation could be wrongly used to curtail other public meetings or protests, we moved to address those issues.

The public meetings section is to be removed from the draft bill. Thus we inch ahead brick-by-brick constructing government and laws fit for purpose. The Long Kesh site is now agreed, the DUP have moved forward on the Cohesion, Sharing and Integration (CSI) strategy, maybe not at the pace that we would like or to the extent that addresses everyone’s concerns, but this remains work in progress.

There is no shortcut to Sinn Féin's objectives to achieving equality. It's all hard work much of which goes unnoticed. This week we made progress on the long running campaign to return the Ardoyne play park, which was destroyed by anti-community individuals to a revamped facility for our young people. And sometimes it's as simple as that.

We have a mandate to improve peoples’ lives while advancing towards an Ireland of equals and that also includes all those opposed to our strategy.
Sinn Féin has set out our vision and our strategy for delivery. We have put that to the electorate and had it overwhelmingly endorsed.

We made it clear that negotiations on parades must be conducted between those who democratically represent the residents affected, which in this case is CARA, (Crumlin and Ardoyne Residents Association) and those who wish to parade.

The public demonstrations by the residents against, both the imposition of Orange marches and the wrecking of our community, is the real face of our people. So when the media focus on headlines constructed by those that can't deal with today's realities, remember what they offer, who they are and who they represent: themselves and no-one but themselves.
Let me finish on this: Dialogue with opponents is always difficult. Sometimes it appears useless but our own history shows that without it things generally get worse and never get better.