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Tag: John Finucane

  • John Finucane – 2022 Comments Calling for DUP to End Boycott of Executive

    John Finucane – 2022 Comments Calling for DUP to End Boycott of Executive

    The comments made by John Finucane, the Sinn Fein MP for North Belfast, on 4 October 2022.

    DUP representatives are tripping over themselves to double down on their shameful boycott of the Executive and dereliction of duty during a cost-of-living emergency.

    Inflammatory language such as what was used today is irresponsible and does nothing to help reach a resolution.

    They are also clearly having trouble respecting democracy and refusing to accept the democratic outcome of the Assembly election.

    Sabre-rattling and threats do nothing for people who are suffering on hospital waiting lists and people who are struggling to heat their homes.

    It’s time Jeffrey Donaldson’s party stopped sitting on their hands, ended its cruel boycott and turned up for work on behalf of the people who elected them.

    Sinn Féin is ready to form an Executive today, to work together with others, and put money in the pockets of workers and families. They need help now.

  • John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Restoring the Northern Ireland Executive

    John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Restoring the Northern Ireland Executive

    The comments made by John Finucane, the Sinn Fein MP for Belfast North, on 14 September 2022.

    With inflation still running at almost ten percent living costs remain far too high for ordinary people to cope with.

    Workers, families and small businesses are struggling to pay their bills in this cost-of-living emergency. They need help now.

    They need an Executive up and running so parties can work together to put money in people’s pockets and make people’s lives better.

    One party should not continue to block the formation of an Executive because they don’t like the outcome of the election. It’s anti-democratic and a cruel dereliction of duty.

    The DUP need to join with the rest of us, work with the rest of us, and help to deliver for people in an Executive as we face into a difficult winter.

  • John Finucane – 2022 Comments on “Bill of Shame”

    John Finucane – 2022 Comments on “Bill of Shame”

    The comments made by John Finucane, the Sinn Fein MP for North Belfast, on 11 September 2022.

    The introduction of the Legacy Bill is evidence that the British government have much, much more to conceal and cover-up from their dirty war in Ireland.

    Those who seek to introduce a formal amnesty for their soldiers and agents;

    Those who seek to block the rights of families to due legal process.

    Those who seek to halt the ability for families to take civil proceedings, to seek an inquest have much to cover-up.

    These actions are deliberately cruel, and show that the British government care not for the lives of our loved ones, nor do they care about the rule of law, truth or justice.

    And that they couch this legislation in the language of reconciliation is truly shameful.

    We need to be honest. This Bill is another slap in the face to victims.

    It is the price for delivering a Tory manifesto commitment that prioritises the demands of the British military over the legal rights of victims.

    This Legacy Bill is about providing an amnesty for British state forces and deny families their basic legal rights to an inquest, an independent investigation and to pursue civil actions.

    This is political interference of the worst kind in basic legal process which will have far reaching implications for confidence levels in the rule of law and the administration of justice.

    These legacy proposals are not only opposed by Sinn Féin but also the Irish government, all political parties across Ireland, the Executive Justice Minister Naomi Long, victims’ groups, families and the churches.

    So let’s be clear this Bill is unworkable, it will not deliver for victims and survivors, it is in breach of the Good Friday Agreement, and that it is incompatible with Article 2 obligations.

    But it is the price to be paid to protect those in Downing Street who know the extent of collusion and State murder because it was their predecessors, who planned it.

    Liz Truss needs to hear that we will not allow our rights to be cherry picked or traded by any British government.

    She must bin this flawed legislation without further delay.

  • John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Support for Irish Unity

    John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Support for Irish Unity

    The comments made by John Finucane, the Sinn Fein MP for North Belfast, on 22 August 2022.

    Yet another poll shows growing support for Irish unity across the island, particularly among young people.

    The reality is that conversation on the constitutional future of our island is to the fore of political discourse like never before.

    Planning and preparation must start now.

    The Irish government should lead those preparations by immediately establishing a Citizens’ Assembly on Irish unity to help shape the new Ireland.

    Sinn Féin will begin a people’s conversation from October. We want to hear from everybody on their views on the future.

    The onus is on the Irish government to prepare for referendums and reunification without any more delays.

  • John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Northern Ireland and Conservative Party Leadership

    John Finucane – 2022 Comments on Northern Ireland and Conservative Party Leadership

    The comments made by John Finucane, the Sinn Fein MP for North Belfast, on 17 August 2022.

    The Tories have no mandate and not a single elected representative in Ireland and they have absolutely no regard for the democratic wishes of the people of the north.

    It’s totally insulting for Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to rock up here today to choose a Tory leader and British Prime Minister that no one in the north voted for in the first place.

    What people did vote for was to oppose the destructive Brexit that they forced upon us and to invest an extra £1 billion to fix the health service that they have run into the ground with cruel cuts for over a decade.

    And now the Tories are propping up the DUP’s block on an Executive being formed and money being spent during a cost-of-living emergency, while attempting to strip away our businesses’ unique access to the British and EU markets that is creating jobs here.

    No matter who becomes Tory leader or British Prime Minister, it is clear that they will not act in the best interests of people in Ireland.