Provisional Sinn Fein want their money.
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Tuesday August 02, 2005 21:04
by Sean O'Neill

PROVISIONAL Sinn Fein last night demanded that the year-long ban on its five MPs receiving the Queen’s shilling, worth up to an estimated £500,000 in English parliamentary allowances and expenses, be lifted in light of the PIRA's decision last week to surrender.
The former republican party is also looking to receive another windfall with the lifting of the suspension of a further annual £120,000 political development grant.
Following a vote by MPs, the allowances and expenses ban was implemented in April 2005 by Paul Murphy, the-then Northern Ireland secretary, after the Independent Monitoring Commission's (IMC) report into the £26.5m Northern Bank robbery in Belfast last December,which was attributed to the PIRA.
After the murder of Robert McCartney outside a bar in the city in January 2005, again attributed to members of the PIRA, Provisional Sinn Fein's political stock fell further at Westminster and in the Commons the British government succumbed to opposition calls for the party to be punished.
When the party had four British MPs, before May's British general election, including Gerry Adams MP and Martin McGuinness MP, it claimed more than £100,000-a-year each. With five MP’s, that bill would have been expected to top £500,000 this year.
Last night, a spokesman for Adams said: "We will be demanding our government recognises our democratic mandate in the same way it does with other parties."
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Is cuma cén tír a mbím ann, is maith liom mo dhól.
In a way this is even more annoying - give us YOUR tax-payers money so we can tell YOUR government to get out of our country. It's funny in a way... if you've had a few.
According to the 'Ireland On Sunday' newspaper (19 Dec 2004) , Gerry Adams claims expenses from Westminster each year of £165,000 Sterling : in 2003 , Michelle Gildernew claimed £115,420 / Martin McGuinness £110,653 / Pat Doherty £104,064 .
These figures were not disputed by PSF .
In 2001 , the four above-named PSF British MP's claimed just over £70,000 Sterling between them - by 2003 , the 'Fantastic Four' had pocketed over £400,000 !!
Also , in that same year (2003) , we taxpayers in this corrupt 'Free' State 'gave' Fianna Fail €87,500 A WEEK to help keep the(ir!) Party going ( ie €4.2 million) , Fine Gael got €2.9 million / 'Labour' € 1.8 million /
Greens €617,000 and PSF €680,000 .
No figures for the PD's or others .
Last year (2004) , PSF Leinster House member Sean Crowe was paid €2541 A WEEK ...
.......................comprised of € 797 per week in expenses and €1744 per week in salary .
That has got to be reason enough to want to start the 'revolution' ...
...next week !!
....good morning ya !
In respect to your opinions on "sell out"..the elected reps take home a worker's wage and expenses go back into the party...obviously this is why the party claims as much as it can.
Where are the leaders of the "alternative way" for Irish unity ?
In this phase of the struggle as always the people lead the way...do you think that the SF voters are as ignorant and naive as you say to be duped by "power greedy" politicians ?
The republican population in ireland is growing and demanding more than just taking on the brits at the military level...
Can we have a constructive debate on this as opposed to this constant whine about sell out, which is not the opinion of those of us who have suffered directly from the occupation.
Hi !
You wrote -
" In respect to your opinions on "sell out"...."
--please show me where I used those words ...?
. "the elected reps take home a worker's wage and expenses go back into the party...obviously this is why the party claims as much as it can."
--just as the so-called 'Workers Party' claimed it done in its early days ! But I am not sure if they had holiday homes , cars , suits ..... ! Not that I would deny benefits like those to any man or woman . If they earn them .
" Where are the leaders of the "alternative way" for Irish unity ? "
--where they have always been , I would imagine . Outside the 'Establishment' system.
" In this phase of the struggle as always the people lead the way.."
--so Fianna Fail and the PD's are "leading the way ... " ?
" ....SF voters are as ignorant and naive as you say to be duped by "power greedy" politicians ? "
--show me where I used the words "ignorant " , "naive" and "power greedy " , please ... ?
" The republican population in ireland is growing and demanding more than just taking on the brits at the military level..."
--but PSF believe that the people do not want the Brits to be "taken on at a military level ... "
- true ?
"Can we have a constructive debate on this as opposed to this constant whine about sell out, which is not the opinion of those of us who have suffered directly from the occupation. "
--you forget that Westminster once claimed jurisdiction over the whole island . Therefore we all "suffered directly from the occupation ... " ? Would you agree , 'Shinner' ?
Sharon .
Your right Sharon.
Shinner remember these words?????
"If at any time Sinn Fein decide to disown the armed struggle they won't have me as a member." - Gerry Adams, 1986 Ard Fheis
"Sadly, the inference that the removal of abstentionism would lead to the demise of military opposition to British rule has indeed called into question the committment of the IRA to pursue this struggle to a successful conclusion. I reject any such suggestion, and I reject the notion that entering Leinster House would mean an end to Sinn Féin's unapologetic support for the right of Irish people to oppose in arms the British forces of occupation. That, my friends, IS A PRINCIPLE which a minority in this hall might doubt, but which I believe all our opponents clearly understand. Our position is clear, and it will never, never, never change. The war against British rule must continue until freedom is achieved." - Martin McGuinness, 1986 Ard Fheis
AP/RN , April 2 , 1998 , page 7 - Speaking on Tuesday March 31 last , Caoimhghin O Caolain stated -
" Any new kind of Stormont or any arrangement which copperfastens partition would not be acceptable . "
If/when Stormont gets assembled again , PSF have implied that it will be 'a new kind of Stormont' . Ooops ... !
AP/RN , March 28 , 1991 , p2 ('Opinion/Editoral' Column) -
" 1916 challenges Irish nationalists to work to oppose any arrangement based on partition ; any such arrangement is doomed to failure . "
--Is Stormont not " ...based on partition.. " , 'Shinner' , do you think .. ?
AP/RN , May 15 , 1997 , p11 - Tom Hartley stated -
" (P) Sinn Fein is no longer the party of protest and resistance . It is the party of change . "
-- Yes . It has changed itself into a constitutional political party . Much like Fianna Fail in its earlier days .
Sharon.
http://1169andcounting.blogspot.com