Sinn Féin at odds with Gerry Adams over Irish unification

Sinn Féin at odds with Gerry Adams over what could bring about the unification of Ireland and a Northern Irish breakaway from Britain

• Sinn Féin at odds with Gerry Adams over Irish reunification vote requirements

Sinn Féin is at odds with its former president, Gerry Adams, over the conditions required for a successful vote on Irish reunification.

Mr Adams, one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement, now believes that a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one or above in a referendum for unification, as set out in the peace accord, would not be enough.

Mr Adams’s views, which he expressed in an interview with Tommie Gorman in The Currency last month, mirror that of other architects of the agreement such as former taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the late SDLP deputy leader, Séamus Mallon. 

However, they put him at odds with Sinn Féin.

Contacted by this newspaper earlier this week a spokesman for Sinn Féin reiterated the party’s position that it supports ‘the provision for a referendum on Irish unity as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement, which provides for a majority vote’.

Sinn Féin is at odds with its former president, Gerry Adams (pictured), over the conditions required for a successful vote on Irish reunification

Contacted by this newspaper earlier this week a spokesman for Sinn Féin reiterated the party’s position that it supports ‘the provision for a referendum on Irish unity as outlined in the Good Friday Agreement, which provides for a majority vote’. Pictured: Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O’Neill (left) and President Mary Lou McDonald (right)

Several Sinn Féin TDs told the Irish Daily Mail yesterday that they continue to support the principle of a simple majority vote on Irish unity, including Matt Carthy and Louise O’Reilly.

In an interview with the Irish Daily Mail last year, Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Pearse Doherty said a simple majority was ‘democracy’. 

He did not respond to a request from this newspaper yesterday to discuss the difference between his views and those of his former party leader.

The party’s 2020 general election manifesto contains a commitment to seek ‘the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement’ with their ‘core political objective’ being to achieve Irish unity through a referendum.

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