Former republican prisoner Hughie Doherty has accused Donegal County Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig of “shouting from the sidelines” about Irish unity.
It follows a statement issued on social media by the Independent Councillor after Sinn Féin called for introducing legislation in the Dáil that would have compelled the Irish Government to begin preparing for Irish unity.
In a clear response to an earlier statement by the Independent Councillor, Mr Doherty defended the move.
Mr Doherty, a Carrigart native and lifelong republican who spent 22 years in an English jail, said criticism carries little weight when it is not accompanied by a serious and achievable alternative.
He said “It speaks volumes that your attacks are aimed at the one republican party that has brought forward the first legislation compelling the Government to prepare for Irish unity, rather than at the Government parties that continue to oppose even planning for constitutional change.
“Today, that struggle is advanced by winning democratic support, passing legislation and building momentum for unity — not by shouting from the sidelines while others do the hard political work.
“There is a fundamental contradiction in claiming to support Irish reunification while attacking those taking practical political steps to advance it.
“Instead of directing criticism at Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for opposing preparations for constitutional change, the attack has been aimed at Sinn Féin for attempting to force the Government to act.
“I support Sinn Féin’s strategy because it recognises how Irish unity will be achieved: by building majority support across this island, securing the referendums provided for under the Good Friday Agreement and ensuring that proper preparations are made for constitutional change.”
Mr Doherty added that this will “not be achieved through slogans, attacks on other republicans or attempts to prove who can sound the most uncompromising.”
He added “The objective is not to appear more republican than somebody else. The objective is to end partition and build a united Ireland.
“Those who reject Sinn Féin’s approach are entitled to do so, but they must explain what their alternative is.
“How do they propose to build majority support, secure a referendum and persuade those who remain uncertain? How do they intend to compel the Irish Government to prepare, and what practical steps have they taken to move us closer to reunification?
Councillor Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig
“To date, no credible alternative route for achieving the objective has been articulated.
“People are entitled to ask what Irish unity would mean for healthcare, housing, education, employment, taxation, pensions, public services and cultural identity. Those questions require detailed planning, inclusive discussion and honest engagement.
“That is why Sinn Féin brought this legislation before the Dáil. It sought to move Irish unity beyond aspiration and require the Government to begin the practical work now, rather than waiting until a referendum has already been called.”
He went on to say that there is always room for debate among republicans about strategy and tactics.
He added “Sinn Féin, like any political party, can be criticised. But criticism carries little weight when it is not accompanied by a serious and achievable alternative.
“I believe Sinn Féin’s strategy of building democratic support, advancing legislation and creating momentum for constitutional change represents the most credible route to Irish unity.
“Anyone who believes they have a better strategy should set it out clearly and explain how it will command majority support and bring an end to partition. Until then, attacking those undertaking the hard political work amounts to little more than shouting from the sidelines.”
Earlier, Councillor Mac Giolla Easbuig claimed everyone is talking about a ‘United Ireland ‘…. except the Unionists, Loyalists and the English, of course.
He added “Sinn Fein are becoming very vocal now about, a plan at least, for this ‘United Ireland’. They are trying to appear to be attacking Mícheál Martin in the Dáil about it; in the form of Pádraig McLoughlin, sounding all historic and theatrical. Michelle O’Neill is even talking about it now, too.
“There’s a North/South push by Sinn Fein to get something moving….anything…anything at all will do !!
“What waffle they speak; and dangerous, misleading waffle at that.
“Sinn Fein still thinks that the ‘politics of waffle’ and grandstanding will fool all of the people all of the time. It won’t; and as Socialist Republicans we should continue to point out that ‘the emperor has no clothes’.
“The Sinn Fein ‘Project Stormont’ and ‘Project Pacification’, carefully fostered by English Imperialism, has ran into the sand, for Sinn Fein. After thirty years they are now seen for what they have always been, a puppet of imperialism and capitalism. Sinn Fein are desperate to get into any ‘political lifeboat ‘ they can find.
“Mary Lou is also suffering from memory loss ! What’s new? She forgets about the 850 years of English occupation and colonialism in Ireland. She forgets about the genocidal famine of the 1840’s. She forgets about the Unionist rule and English atrocities in the, still occupied, six counties.
“Her approach and that of Sinn Fein is, ignore all of that but look over here at this ‘nice new shiny thing’…an undefined “United Ireland”…packaged and delivered by the powerful and wealthy ruling elites. It’s the “cure” for all our economic and political ills, they will tell you.
“Mary, Michelle and Pádraig, stop ‘play acting’. You know, we know and anyone with any political ‘cop on’ knows that the United Ireland you speak loudly of, is a United Ireland within imperialist and capitalist rules. You will abide by the demands and dictates of English, EU and Yankee imperialism. In other words you will do as you’re told.
“It will be ‘top down’ power. It will not be a sovereign, liberated or people powered democratic Ireland. Inequality and exploitation, the basis of poverty, will prevail. The majority, the working class, the poor and working poor will still be second class citizens; if they are lucky.
“You have and will continue to oppose a thirty two county Socialist Republic. You have and will forget about the sacrifice of IRA volunteers and their families, who fought, died and spent lifetimes as political prisoners, for that Socialist Republic. We, on the other hand, have not forgotten what we stand for, nor will we.”