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Sinn Féin chief Gerry Adams tells party to prepare for second poll Sinn Féin chief Gerry Adams tells party to prepare for second poll
(35 minutes later)
The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, has told activists to be ready for a second election with no calls coming from within his party for him to step down as leader following its best ever election to the Irish parliament.The Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, has told activists to be ready for a second election with no calls coming from within his party for him to step down as leader following its best ever election to the Irish parliament.
The party once umbilically linked to the Provisional IRA will return to the Dáil next week with up to 24 seats, up from 14 in 2011 – a performance that for now at least has dampened down speculation that Adams might move aside from the centre of power he has held since 1983.The party once umbilically linked to the Provisional IRA will return to the Dáil next week with up to 24 seats, up from 14 in 2011 – a performance that for now at least has dampened down speculation that Adams might move aside from the centre of power he has held since 1983.
Adams performed relatively poorly on three main live television debates during the three-week general election campaign, which has ended in uncertainty and no prospect of any coalition securing a working majority. Adams performed relatively poorly in three main live television debates during the three-week general election campaign, which has ended in uncertainty and no prospect of any coalition securing a working majority.
On polling day itself, former Irish premier Bertie Ahern claimed Sinn Féin would have won 10 extra seats if they had had an alternative leader without the baggage of the IRA past as well as someone more able to deal with economic questions. Related: Fianna Fáil truce will allow Kenny to continue as taoiseach
During one live debate, Adams stumbled and appeared to get mixed up over taxation figures. He was dogged throughout the campaign with questions over allegations that he had led the IRA during the Troubles, and also why he defended convicted tax fraudster and one time Provisionals’ chief-of-staff, Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy. On polling day, former Irish premier Bertie Ahern claimed Sinn Féin would have won 10 extra seats if it had had an alternative leader without the baggage of the IRA past as well as someone more able to deal with economic questions.
But following a 14% surge in the vote for Sinn Féin, which won up to 24 seats, the party’s leading lights have been rallying around their leader. During one live debate, Adams stumbled and appeared to mix up taxation figures. He was dogged throughout the campaign by questions on allegations he had led the IRA during the Troubles, and also why he defended convicted tax fraudster and one time Provisionals’ chief of staff, Thomas “Slab” Murphy.
Adams’s closest ally and key partner during the peace process, the Northern Ireland deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, was blunt over the weekend about any prospect of his colleague relinquishing the leadership. But after winning 14% of the vote, Sinn Féin’s leading lights have been rallying around their leader.
Over the weekend, Adams’s closest ally and key partner during the peace process, the Northern Ireland deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, was blunt about any prospect of him relinquishing the leadership.
“Some of the people who criticised Gerry Adams couldn’t lace his boots as a politician … He led us to a dramatic performance in 2011 from four to 14 seats, and is now leading us to another dramatic performance with a 50% rise in our seats. It is absolutely not the time for Adams to step aside,” McGuinness said.“Some of the people who criticised Gerry Adams couldn’t lace his boots as a politician … He led us to a dramatic performance in 2011 from four to 14 seats, and is now leading us to another dramatic performance with a 50% rise in our seats. It is absolutely not the time for Adams to step aside,” McGuinness said.
As for Adams himself, the Sinn Féin president appeared to be focused on fighting a second election very soon – a distinct possibility if no government can be formed when the new Dáil meets on 10 March. As for Adams, the Sinn Féin president appeared to be focused on fighting a second election very soon – a distinct possibility if no government can be formed when the new Dáil meets on 10 March.
“We advised all of our candidates to stay on election footing. We advised our people to take down the posters and hide them away because we could be back again very, very soon. Now that might not happen, if a government is formed, but we are certainly staying on election footing,” he said.“We advised all of our candidates to stay on election footing. We advised our people to take down the posters and hide them away because we could be back again very, very soon. Now that might not happen, if a government is formed, but we are certainly staying on election footing,” he said.
Deaglán de Bréadún, the author of a new book on the rise of modern Sinn Féin, said that while Adams himself was a poor performer on television his position at the top was not under threat. Deaglán de Bréadún, the author of a new book on the rise of modern Sinn Féin, said that while Adams was a poor performer on television his position at the top was not under threat.
He said: “Adams is untouchable as leader but he could at some future stage decide, for personal reasons, to call it a day, although there is absolutely no sign of that at present. He clearly does not find the parliamentary scene at Leinster House very stimulating.He said: “Adams is untouchable as leader but he could at some future stage decide, for personal reasons, to call it a day, although there is absolutely no sign of that at present. He clearly does not find the parliamentary scene at Leinster House very stimulating.
“The obvious successors would be Mary Lou McDonald, current deputy leader, and Pearse Doherty, who is finance spokesman. Neither of them has anything like the republican aura that Adams has acquired over the last 40 years and the prospect of a move against the current leader is well-nigh unthinkable.”“The obvious successors would be Mary Lou McDonald, current deputy leader, and Pearse Doherty, who is finance spokesman. Neither of them has anything like the republican aura that Adams has acquired over the last 40 years and the prospect of a move against the current leader is well-nigh unthinkable.”
The central question facing Sinn Féin is whether the 14% achieved in this general election is the plateau in terms of potential support or whether it can reach the figures it was getting in last year’s opinion polls – about 26%. They did fail in one of their strategic goals between the last election five years ago and last Friday’s poll: supplanting Fianna Fáil as the main opposition party in the Republic. Fianna Fáil’s pre-Easter revival from its worst ever election result in 2011 (21 seats, including only one in Dublin) to at least 43 seats this time means the party founded by Éamon de Valera has seen off – for now – what was once a serious existential threat from Sinn Féin. The central question facing Sinn Féin is whether the 14% achieved in this general election is the plateau in terms of potential support or whether it can reach the figures it was getting in last year’s opinion polls – about 26%. The Sinn Féin did fail in one of its strategic goals between the last election five years ago and last Friday’s poll: supplanting Fianna Fáil as the main opposition party in the Republic.
In fact, it is what Fianna Fáil does next that will determine Sinn Féin’s fortunes over the next few years. The author Ed Moloney, a veteran IRA and Sinn Féin watcher,has described the prospect of Fianna Fáil joining in a ”grand coalition” with its old civil war rivals Fine Gael as a “wet dream” for Gerry Adams’ party. Fianna Fáil’s poll revival – at least doubling the 21 seats it won in 2011, its worst ever election result – means the party founded by Éamon de Valera has seen off – for now – what was once a serious existential threat from Sinn Féin.
Such a “grand coalition”, Moloney has claimed, would “allow Sinn Féin to present itself as the real opposition. Not only would the party’s Stalinist-like discipline compare favourably with the chaos and backbiting that would infect the coalition government, but the Shinners would play it all to their advantage in other ways.” Related: Irish election results show Fine Gael misread public mood
With senior Fianna Fáil personnel baulking at the prospect of a formal coalition government with Fine Gael and remaining on the opposition benches, it appears so far that they will not be gifting any ”grand coalition wet dream” to Sinn Féin in the near future. What Fianna Fáil does next that will determine Sinn Féin’s fortunes over the next few years. The author Ed Moloney, a veteran IRA and Sinn Féin watcher,has described the prospect of Fianna Fáil joining in a “grand coalition” with its old civil war rivals Fine Gael as a “wet dream” for Adams’ party.
On Adams’s future, Moloney added: “This party was created out of the IRA by Gerry Adams and the small group of advisers and colleagues that surround him. They will decide whether he goes or not, not the membership. As long as he is leader of Sinn Féin he is also leader of the peace process project and as such he is protected from efforts to pursue him for IRA activity during the Troubles. As soon as he relinquishes leadership it would be seen as a sign that the peace process is now secure and in those circumstances he could well become vulnerable; one could almost foresee the calls for his prosecution that would soon follow. The precedent of “Slab” Murphy is not a happy one and so continuing as Sinn Féin leader provides him with a shield.” Such a coalition, Moloney has claimed, would “allow Sinn Féin to present itself as the real opposition. Not only would the party’s Stalinist-like discipline compare favourably with the chaos and backbiting that would infect the coalition government, but the Shinners would play it all to their advantage in other ways.”
With senior Fianna Fáil personnel baulking at the prospect of a formal coalition government with Fine Gael and remaining on the opposition benches, it appears so far that they will not be gifting any “grand coalition wet dream” to Sinn Féin in the near future.
On Adams’s future, Moloney added: “This party was created out of the IRA by Gerry Adams and the small group of advisers and colleagues that surround him. They will decide whether he goes or not, not the membership. As long as he is leader of Sinn Féin he is also leader of the peace process project and as such he is protected from efforts to pursue him for IRA activity during the Troubles. As soon as he relinquishes leadership it would be seen as a sign that the peace process is now secure and in those circumstances he could well become vulnerable; one could almost foresee the calls for his prosecution that would soon follow. The precedent of Slab Murphy is not a happy one and so continuing as Sinn Féin leader provides him with a shield.”