SF's Ferris tells of 'pain' of decommissioning

Mr Martin Ferris, the Sinn FΘin candidate tipped by a recent TG4 poll to take a seat in Kerry North at the next general election, spoke at the weekend of how many republicans had actually "cried" when decommissioning was announced.

They felt "terrible" and "hurt" after many years of sacrifice in which "369 IRA volunteers and 3,600 people died, when over 20,000 had been through the prison service, and hundreds of thousands had been arrested and brutalised". But, in agreeing to decommission, the IRA had "secured the peace process". Complimenting their courage, he said it illustrated their commitment to the process.

Referring to the GAA's Rule 21, he said this was a matter for the association, but delegates at the upcoming convention should listen to the views of people in the North who "lived in the situation".

In the event of Sinn FΘin holding the balance of power after the next election, he said the party would hold a special convention at which a decision would be made.

Mr Ferris was addressing a meeting of the Ballaghaderreen Sinn FΘin cumann in Co Roscommon. Other speakers included the former mayor of Sligo, Mr Seβn McManus, who will stand for the party in Sligo/Leitrim; Mr Vincent Woods, the party's candidate in Mayo; Mr Paul Whelan, who resigned as chairman of the Ballaghaderreen Fianna Fβil cumann in July this year to join Sinn FΘin; and Mr Gerry Murray, a county councillor who resigned from Fianna Fβil two months ago to join Sinn FΘin.

Fianna Fβil had "totally lost its way" where the west was concerned, Mr Murray said. Mr Whelan said one reason for his joining Sinn FΘin was a staunch belief in the necessity for balanced regional development.

Mr Ferris denounced the "political establishment of this State" who for 50 years had abandoned the nationalist people of the North and over the past 33 years had "demonised" those republicans "prepared to confront injustice in a military way". Describing the Belfast Agreement as a "historic compromise, a vehicle for change to bring equality for all the people North and South", he reminded the attendance of elements in unionism who opposed the agreement because they realised that, in conceding equality, they had "conceded the Union".

"We don't know what they are going to do next", he said.