Youth voice needed in peace process - Adams

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has called on young people to take up leadership roles within the party and to ensure their voice…

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has called on young people to take up leadership roles within the party and to ensure their voice is heard in the peace process in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin put forward a comprehensive proposal to the Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the Constitution when it was dealing with the rights of the family more than a year ago. In it we advocated the need for the rights of children to be put into the constitution
Gerry Adams, Sinn Féin president

Addressing the national congress of Ógra Shinn Féin, the youth wing of the party, Mr Adams said the discussions on the St Andrews agreement must be "owned" by activists.

"Young people must ensure your voice is heard in these discussions. There are many challenges facing us. We need to strategic and long-headed. And united," he said.

Mr Adams said the party and its youth section needed to be bigger and needed more women members and activists.

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He said the party needed to reach out to those people "new to Ireland", or those who were marginalised.

The party president commended delegates for their work on collusion, political policing, and demilitarisation, saying they had been "an essential, and successful, part of the party's work".

Mr Adams also welcomed the Taoiseach's proposed amendment to the Constitution to enshrine the rights of children. He said Sinn Fein had proposed a new article on the rights of the child in the Constitution in 2004.

"At the recent health rally I said that I would be very pleased if the government stole our health policies," he said.

"We are about change and setting the public and political agenda. So it comes as no surprise that the Taoiseach has proposed a constitutional referendum on the rights of children. This is a good thing. And I welcome it.

"Sinn Féin put forward a comprehensive proposal to the Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the Constitution when it was dealing with the rights of the family more than a year ago. In it we advocated the need for the rights of children to be put into the constitution."