South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

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McGuinness welcomes agreement

Speaking at Hillsborough this morning (Friday 5th Feb 2010) at the announcement of a deal on the transfer of policing and justice powers from London to the North of Ireland Sinn Féin MP and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said:

"Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach, Príomh Aire na Breataine agus na páirtí uilig.

"I am very pleased that we have concluded this agreement with the DUP. As everyone knows this has been a difficult negotiation. This is hardly a surprise given the reality that I am an Irish Republican and others here have a completely different view. I believe in a united Ireland. They want to maintain the union with England.

"This should not mean that we are incapable of respecting each other, of treating one another as equals and proceeding on the basis of partnership, respect, fairness and equality. I am utterly determined to continue to work in good faith and with a good heart with my unionist colleagues. I want to work in harmony with Peter Robinson for the good of the entire community.

"That is what Sinn Féin is about. We signed up for agreements on Good Friday and at St. Andrews and here today. We proceed on the basis of implementing these commitments.

"We have agreed that the transfer of policing and justice powers to our power sharing government will happen on April 12th. We have agreed and put in place a process which will see the powers which oversee parades transfer to our administration before the end of this year.

"We have agreed a process to progress the rights of Irish Language speakers and North/South aspects of the St. Andrews Agreement. Sinn Féin are in these political institutions to deliver for everyone. That's what Sinn Féin Ministers and MLAs are here to do. I am a Minister for all citizens.

"We are also agreed on the need to deliver for our community, it is what they expect. There are families and children living in poverty; elderly people feeling vulnerable and in fear. There are young families burdened by massive mortgages and in fear of losing their homes; people without jobs.

"Our government needs to reach out to these people. It needs to deliver. We need to confront and defeat all kinds of hatred. With determined and courageous leadership we must continue to lead that shrinking minority out of the trenches of the past. In this I am confident we can be assured of the support of the vast majority of our people. We need to make life better for all our children and grandchildren.

"That is what this agreement must mean in practice. Fully functioning political institutions operated for the people in true partnership and equality. Let us now all face into the future with confidence in ourselves and in the people who elect us." CRÍOCH

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South & East Belfast Sinn Féin - Building and Ireland of Equals

The last fifteen years have witnessed the extraordinary electoral growth of Sinn Féin. We are currently the third largest political party in Ireland and the largest nationalist party in the Six Counties. As the only all-Ireland party, Sinn Féin has more than 200 elected representatives across the island - 5 MPs elected to Westminster, 4 TD's in the Irish Parliament, an MEP in the European Parliment, 28 MLAs in the Six County Assembly and over 250 representatives on local Councils.

Since 1984 when Alex Maskey became the first Sinn Féin councillor to enter City Hall the Party in Belfast has gone from strength to strength and is now the largest political party in the city.

This growth nationally and at a Belfast level has been mirrored throughout South and East Belfast with new cumainn (branches) being formed and the Party continuing to build a fresh alternative to the stale politics, corruption and mismanagement of the Establishment parties. We are committed to tackling inequality, discrimination and sectarianism from whatever quarter it may arise from; we are a Party committed to building an Ireland of Equals.

Sinn Féin is a republican and labour party, taking its inspiration from the politics of Wolfe Tone, James Connolly and the 1916 Easter Rising.

The Party itself has been active in the South and East Belfast areas since its very foundation.

In the historic 1918 elections, in which a Sinn Féin majority was elected throughout Ireland and which led the establishment of Dail Éireann, Winifred Carney, secretary to James Connolly, suffrogette, and member of the Irish Citizens Army, stood in the East Belfast constituency for Sinn Féin.

Being an extremely active area for republicans the first cumann (branch) was officially formed in 1925. This was called the Roger Casement cumann and drew its membership from the Ballymacarrett and Market areas.

1970 saw the formation of the Seán Martin/Seán Treacey Sinn Féin cumann in the Short Strand area followed by the Nolan/Downey Sinn Féin cumann in the Market and Ormeau Road area.

Since then we have continued to grow. Today, within South and East Belfast we have Six cumann and are continually expanding our support base and Party structures.

We are intent on building on this foundation in order to bring the republican message to the people of South and East Belfast and to give the people of these areas the best representation possible.

Sinn Féin is the only all-Ireland party. We are committed to ending partition and building an Ireland of Equals.

Sinn Féin is nationalist and internationalist. We are anti-imperialist, anti-fascist and anti-racist; committed to achieving real change in Irish society.

Within the South and East Belfast constituencies we are committed to actively campaigning on the issues which directly affect you:

  • HMOs
  • Opposing the rates increases and Water Tax
  • Housing
  • Environment & recycling
  • Tackling discrimination, sectarianism & Racism
  • Irish Language & culture
  • Unionist outreach & Community relations
  • Traffic calming
  • Community safety
  • Community empowerment
  • Residents only parking
  • Planning issues
  • Ensuring ethnic minorities have a voice in government.

This website is intended to keep you up date with the work that your Sinn Féin representatives are doing on your behalf in the South and East Belfast areas. It will also provide you with information on our policies, press releases, and upcoming events.

In order to allow us to best represent you we welcome any views that you may have on this site and the Party in the area.

Sinn Féin in South and East Belfast can be contacted at:

South & East Belfast Sinn Féin

Unit 3

174 Ormeau Road

Belfast BT7 2ED

Tel: (028) 90243194

e-mail: sandebelfast@sinn-fein.ie