An Ireland of Equals

Tarbh Dubh
Ógra Shinn Féin

The most recent panic announcement by Free State finance minister Brian Lenihan came as no surprise to many republicans I'm sure. This budget will be an attempt by Fianna Fáil to do something they've not done in their 11 years of government, and that’s account for their actions. Brian Lenihan must make up for the €5 billion shortfall in tax revenue for this fiscal year.

I have no doubts whatever in my mind that instead of needless tax benefits for multinational companies, or high earners, will not be hit. Those who will be hit will be the most vulnerable in society. They will be the elderly and the disabled. Both cutbacks in financial supports and public services for these people will be cutback, reneging on the government's pre-election 2007 promises.





Brian Cowen felt it was more appropriate to play golf on his holidays, rather than cut short his break to tackle the impending financial crisis. The Capitalist system in which we live demands booms and slow downs, recession and 'Celtic Tigers', and we have many financial institutions predicting gloom for the Irish exchequer. That is unless our bungling government ministers get off the backsides, and deliver a socialist fiscal policy, with the needs of the voters at heart, the first time buyers, the elderly living on private pensions, and the disabled.

How can we as republicans ensure this? Our elected representatives must be at the core of the demand for social and equitable change! We must stand behind those who are most vulnerable in society and we must show the establishment that these people will NOT be ignored. When Brian Cowen, Enda Kenny and Eamonn Gilmore come knocking on the doors next year they must be tackled and questioned on how they dealt with the needs of the most vulnerable of our society.

We in Sinn Féin and Ógra are committed to the ideals of the 1916 Proclamation. We also must ensure that within our own ranks we have equal systems that enable people from all walks of life to engage and become members of Sinn Féin. Ógra must take the lead in this respect. At the National Congress in 2006, Gerry Adams told us we must prepare to bring the new communities in Ireland into Sinn Féin. It is our duty now, especially in the 3 level institutions, to reach out to people from the 'New Irish' communities, and to inspire them to become republican.

If we do not act as a voice for these people, nobody else will. Ógra Shinn Féin are committed to gender equality within our own organisation, which nobody cannot deny is crucial, but we have not yet made it policy to include equal rights for ALL THE CHIDREN OF THE NATION, be they male, female, gay, straight, athletic, disabled or adopted. The time is now, with colleges starting back soon to reach out to new groups to join Ógra Shinn Féin, and to stand up for their equal rights, which are, and will be for years to come, undermined by big business and supported by the Dublin government. Why shouldn't our next national campaign target young people, and celebrate the diversity which Irish society now enjoys.

A final note for our next national congress. We may not have activists in wheelchairs or deaf activists, but the fact that we do not have ample arrangements at these national events to allow these people to engage, if they wished to join us, means that we oppress them by not making it possible.

I call on our Equality officer, both outgoing and incoming, to put in place concrete plans to bring these arrangements into focus for our national events. If we do not, we're as bad as FF, FG, Labour and all the other savvy narrow-minded right wing parties.