Gerry Adams TD

Gerry Adams has been elected to the Dail as a TD for Louth.

I don't like the man, don't have any respect for the man and I doubt I ever will.

Now he sits in the Dail rather than the House of Commons I hope he chooses to go to Leinster House...


In other Irish election news Fianna Fail are bing slaughtered. Of the 34 TDs elected so far (out of a total of 166) just three belong to Fianna Failure and one of these is the Ceann Comhairle (the speaker of the Dail who is automatically returned).

Gerry Adams MP TD?

Gerry Adams has announced that he intends to move his base of operations fro the North of Ireland to the South.

In Sunday’s Observer it was reported that he will seek election to the Dail in the Louth constituency at the next general election.

Adams will step down as an MLA (a member of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly) he plans to retain his Westminster seat even though he does not attend the House of Commons.

Adams said: "As leader of the only all-Ireland party with an all-island mandate, I have a choice to make whether to stay in West Belfast, a place that I love, or to seek a mandate in another constituency in the south.

"West Belfast is my home. It is where Colette and our family are and where I live. But after thoughtful consideration, and with the support of colleagues, I have decided to put my name forward for Louth. If elected for this constituency I will work and stay here and travel home when possible."

The party has a seat in the Louth constituency but but the current TD, Arthur Morgan, announced he would be stepping down at the next election to concentrate on his business.

However, there is no guarantee that Adams would retain the seat or find himself in a multi-party coalition government. In the most recent Irish general election Adams performed disastrously in a live leaders' debate on RTE television in which he was unable to answer questions on economic policies in the republic.


For what it’s worth I would not welcome Adams’s move to the politics of the Republic (but then I don’t have a vote in the Dail elections). It is not only because of my extreme dislike of Sinn Fein (to be fair I also dislike the DUP with a passion too) the man has become rather a non-entity since the peace process in the 90s


Adams has had the chance to transform himself from the talking head of a terrorist group to an able politician. In my view he has failed. Martin McGuinness on the other hand has been rather a revelation. Much as I dislike him personally McGuinness has shown himself to be quite an able politician. While I would rather not have seen him and Paisley holding the reins of power in Northern Ireland their working relationship was a pleasant surprise.

There will be an election in Ireland next year or in 2012 at the latest. While it it likely that Fianna Fail may face a decimation akin to that meted out on the Tories in 1997, there is little prospect of Sinn Fein being invited to join the next government. They may well increase their representation but as it stands the biggest winner (if not the outright winner) looks to be the Labour Party. A Fine Gael/Labour coalition looks to be the likeliest outcome. This time Labour will probably have a far bigger role in the coalition than it has in the past.

As for Adams he will be a little fish in a rather bigger pond if elected.

Adams's Statement

Again this is taken from today's Independent. The IRA's terrorism failed utterly to achieve its aim of a united island. Peaceful political engagement may succeed in the (very) long run. (for what it's worth I am neutral on the issue).

"I want to begin my remarks by welcoming the statement by Ian Paisley. While it is disappointing that the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement have not been restored today, I believe the agreement reached between Sinn Fein and the DUP, including the unequivocal commitment, made by their party executive and reiterated today, to the restoration of political institutions on 8 May, marks the beginning of a new era of politics on this island.

"The discussions and agreement between our two parties shows the potential of what can now be achieved.

"Sinn Fein entered into these discussions in a positive and strategic way strengthened by our recently renewed and increased mandate. I want to once again thank everyone who supports our party.

"Támuid buíoch daoibh go léir [We are thankful to all of them.]

"In all of the initiatives we have taken in recent times we have been guided by the need to deliver for the people of Ireland. So, in our discussions we have listened very carefully to the position put forward by Ian Paisley and his colleagues.

"The relationships between the people of this island have been marred by centuries of discord, conflict, hurt and tragedy.

"In particular this has been the sad history of orange and green. Ach tá tus nua ann anois le cuidiú De [But there is a new start now, with the help of God].

"Sinn Fein is about building a new relationship between orange and green and all the other colours, where every citizen can share and have equality of ownership of a peaceful, prosperous and just future.

"There are still many challenges, many difficulties to be faced. But let us be clear. The basis of the agreement between Sinn Fein and the DUP follows Ian Paisley's unequivocal and welcome commitment to support and participate fully in the political institutions on 8 May.

"In the lead-up to restoration, important work has to take place preparing for government. And you have the outline of that also.

"As an immediate step both Sinn Fein and the DUP have asked the British Government not to issue the water bills.

"Tus maith, leath na hoibre - a good start is half the work.

"The two governments also have other work to do.

"We are committed to, and today discussed, further engagements with the British Chancellor, with the Irish government, and with others to ensure that the incoming executive has the best possible resources to fulfil our responsibilities.

"We have all come a very long way in the process of peace-making and national reconciliation. We are very conscious of the many people who have suffered. We owe it to them to build the best future possible.

"It is a time for generosity, a time to be mindful of the common good and of the future of all our people.

"I am pleased to say that collectively we have created the potential to build a new, harmonious and equitable relationship between nationalists and republicans and unionists, as well as the rest of the people of the island of Ireland.

"Sinn Fein will take nothing for granted in the days and weeks ahead but we will do all that we can to ensure a successful outcome and we ask everyone to support us in our efforts."

Now get on with the business of government

This is one of the photos I feared never would be taken. Even if thsiles are forced it is a landmark. The Irish Independent describes it as a snapshot for the history books, a picture that says that the Troubles are over and real politics can begin.

Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist party will be going into government together on May 8, no threats, no conditions and no begrudgery. It is the culmination of months of work but the DUP and Sinn Fein have put their hatred aside and have finally agreed to power sharing.

"We must not allow our justified loathing of the horrors and tragedies of the past to become a barrier to creating a better and more stable future." Paisley said. Adams provided an echo by accepting that "the relationships between the people of this island have been marred by centuries of discord, conflict, hurt and tragedy.. The discussions and agreement between our two parties shows the potential of what can now be achieved."

Mr Paisley said he would now hold regular meetings with Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness, who last night accepted the post of Deputy First Minister. Many will watch with fascination to see what relationship develops between the Protestant patriarch and the one-time IRA commander.

Even if Paisley and McGuiness are the last two people I would like to have seen running Northern Ireland they were they represent the two largest parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The people have spoken. I hope they do their very best to bring lasting peace and prosperity to the six counties.