Why Ireland’s political establishment fears Sinn Féin

Now is the time to put an end to the country’s chaos.

By

Matt Carthy

1/22/16, 5:20 PM CET

Updated 1/22/16, 10:23 PM CET

Your article “Ireland’s big two parties fear rise of Sinn Féin” (POLITICO, January 19, 2016) is correct: The two (formerly) largest parties in the Irish state do fear the rise of Sinn Féin. But it’s not because of concerns regarding the IRA, which left the stage long ago. The peace process in the north of Ireland, despite some setbacks, is an example to conflict-afflicted regions across the world.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael fear the rise of Sinn Féin because the growth of our party threatens the cozy consensus that has dominated the Irish political system since its foundation. Two conservative, right-wing parties interchangeably have operated as government and opposition for decades.

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This election can transform that landscape. As we move into the center of an election cycle, the campaign is clearly between Sinn Féin and Fine Gael. And we are putting forward some very different alternatives to the electorate.
Sinn Féin has a fully costed plan, which will deliver a fair recovery for all. If the electorate want decent jobs with decent conditions, a better health service, the much needed provision of social housing, then they are better off with Sinn Féin.
In government, Sinn Féin will put an extra €2,422 in the pockets of minimum wage workers through the abolition of regressive taxes and charges. A self-employed worker would get a self-employed credit, which would increase over the government’s lifetime. This is in addition to additional savings via measures like reduced third level fees, free general practitioner (GP) care and prescriptions, and increased childcare support.
Fine Gael, on the other hand, risk impeding economic recovery by making all sorts of election promises they don’t intend to keep. Some of their policies, like taking €20 billion out of the tax system (benefiting the wealthiest in society disproportionately) are reckless and would destroy our public services. It is a policy taken straight out of the Fianna Fáil playbook, who greatly contributed to the economic catastrophe for which the Irish people have paid a heavy price over the past nine years.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil do fear the ongoing growth of Sinn Féin. We elected four MEPs (including one in the north) in the 2014 European elections and became the joint largest Irish party in the European Parliament.
Neither party will admit to it, but the real reason they fear us is that they know we intend to end corruption and cronyism in politics and cut politicians’ salaries. They know we will begin the practical preparations for Irish reunification and they know we want to lead a progressive government that will end the boom-bust economic cycle that has been the hallmark of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil administrations.
Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil (with support of the European institutions, it should be said) brought about an age of chaos, through which the Irish people have had to live. We have chaos in our health care system, in our housing market and in public services like water provision. They have built a two-tier society where the gap between the haves and have-nots widens with every budget agreed on their watch. They protect high earners, developers and bankers, and the rest of society has paid the price.
Sinn Féin is standing in this election to offer an end to the chaos and the implementation of a progressive and sustainable economic policy platform that will provide first-class public services and a fair recovery. Of course the old establishment fears us.
Matt Carthy
MEP, Sinn Féin director of elections