SF says Government playing games with peace process

The peace process is in crisis because of "political game playing" on the part of the Government, Sinn Fein has claimed.

The peace process is in crisis because of "political game playing" on the part of the Government, Sinn Fein has claimed.
At the party's ardfhies in Dublin today, MEP Mary Lou McDonald, accused the Government of "political grandstanding" in its attacks on her party in the wake of the Northern Bank heist and the killing of Belfast man Robert McCartney.
In a debate on the peace process, Ms McDonald told delegates at the RDS the Government was "playing second fiddle to a unionist-led agenda" and must re-commit itself to negotiations.
Sinn Féin chairman, Mitchell McLaughlin said the only aspect of the peace process that remained intact was the IRA ceasefire.
Mr McLaughlin said there was now "no dialogue, no process and no engagement".
He said Sinn Féin's electoral advance in recent years had led to "the re-emergence of a security agenda".
Mr McLaughlin said the peace process "had effectively been put in deep freeze by the two governments while they concentrate on stopping the Sinn Fein advance".
However in a reference to the present crisis surrounding the party, Mr McLaughlin said Sinn Fein was "ready to face up to its responsibility to help resolve the present difficulties".
Delegates passed a series of motions calling on the party leadership to take a tougher stance in its negotiations with other parties in the peace process in particular the Democratic Unionist Party.
Dublin councilor Daithi Doolan said it was now clear the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell was running the peace process on behalf of the Government.
Mr Doolan accused Mr McDowell of "throwing out wild and unsubstantiated allegations" about his party and urged party members not to become embroiled in what he described as "a carnival of speculation".
Fermanagh South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew dismissed the findings of recent polls suggesting a fall in support for her party, saying "Sinn Féin's support holds fast".
Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy

Eoin Burke-Kennedy is Economics Correspondent of The Irish Times