Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams asks IRA splinter groups to end violence

Adams urges ‘dissidents’ to ‘reflect on their position’

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Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams

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This is bad for business, bad for the communities that depend upon those small towns and bad for the economy of the island.

It also encourages criminality, particularly in respect of fuel smuggling which costs each state money in revenue as well as leaving behind a toxic sludge that is an environmental danger and threat to citizens and which costs huge amounts of money to clean up.

It’s time for partition to go.”

The Sinn Féin leader also urged those republicans who do not support Sinn Féin to “consider carefully the implications and possibilities presented by a border poll.

The Good Friday Agreement allows for the people of the island of Ireland to determine the future shape of this island, including the right to opt for a united Ireland.

It provides for a peaceful and democratic means by which the Irish republican and nationalist objective of Irish independence and freedom can be achieved.

This has been the core political objective since Wolfe Tone and the Society of United Irishmen.

It has been the goal of Irish people since England first involved itself in Irish affairs.

The Good Friday Agreement has created the means by which this can be achieved.

Sinn Féin has called for the British and Irish governments to set a date for a border poll and for that referendum to be held in the next term of the Assembly and Oireachtas.

Already this initiative has seen a significant increase in debate around the issue of possibility of Irish unity and the ending of the union.

Dialogue and conversation and persuasion is an important part of this process.

Sinn Féin wants to encourage the widest possible debate of all of the issues involved whether it’s the economy, political allegiance, the protection of traditions, the shape of the new Ireland and reconciliation.

These are just some of the matters which will need to be discussed in the time ahead.

I would urge all republicans and nationalists, whatever their opinion of the peace process, and irrespective of which political party or tendency they support, to seize this opportunity to advance republican and nationalist objectives.

I would especially ask those who are usually described as ‘dissident’ to recognise the potential that this initiative holds.

There is now a democratic and peaceful way to bring about Irish unity. There is no reason whatever for any group to engage in or promote or support violent actions.

The challenge for thinking republicans is to find ways to engage with and to listen to the concerns and ambitions of our unionist neighbours.

As the anniversary of the Easter Rising approaches I want to appeal directly to groups which claim to follow in that tradition to reflect on their position.

Now is the time for them to show courage and in the spirit of the 1916 Proclamation to embrace a peaceful way forward.

Sinn Féin wants a date for a border poll to be set and held within the lifetime of the next Assembly and Oireachtas. During this time we will be actively seeking to persuade unionists and non-unionists and all those who may at this time be opposed to Irish unity, or ambivalent on it, to join with us in making it happen.

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