10 May 1998
Seán Crowe, Markievicz Cumann, Tallaght, Dublin South-West
Speaking in favour of Ard Chomhairle Emergency Motion 13
When I joined Sinn Fein in 1976, I joined because the party was committed to ending British rule in Ireland. That commitment has not changed. If anything, that commitment has deepened.
There are things in this agreement which I and many other republcans are deeply unhappy about. But this is not a republican document.
Some people have argued against the document because of the changes to Articles 2 and 3. For many years, anti-republicans - the John Bruton's, the Proinsias de Rossa's and the Mary Harney's - wanted to dump Articles 2 and 3 because they wanted to appease intransigent unionism, dump Northern nationalists and undermine the ideal of reunification.
Republicans were right to oppose this abandonment of Northern nationalists and the threatened removal of their right to be Irish citizens.
Sinn Fein opposed any change to Articles 2 and 3. They do not in any way impinge on the democratic or civil rights of the unionist people. The Fianna Fáil/PD government and the SDLP advocated changing these Articles. The revised Article 2 does - however - deal with one of the main concerns - it confirms a constitutional right to Irish citizenship for people in the Six Counties.
The all-Ireland dimensions of the agreement and the constitutional changes that Britain will have to make should not be dismissed.
This new political situation opens up new avenues of struggle for republicans, new opportunities to achieve a united Ireland, new opportunities to bring about positive change for the people who have fought, struggled and made sacrifices for change - for all the people of Ireland.
Times change and so must tactics. But the struggle is not over. If we say yes to this agreement we are saying yes to progress
I want to change society - for the people in Tallaght just as much as for the people in Twinbrook. To do that we must face change - not be afraid of it. We must take responsibility - not shirk it. We must give leadership - not stand on the sidelines of history.
Our aim is unity.
I do not accept the legitimacy of the Six-County sectarian state.
I do not accept British rule in Ireland.
I am still a republican.
I am still fighting for a united Ireland.
I urge you to support Ard Chomhairle Emergency Motion 13.