17th February 2002

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Ferris accuses Taoiseach of negative campaigning

Sinn Fein Councillor Martin Ferris speaking at a meeting of the party's election directorate in Tralee this afternoon described the Taoiseach's comments in ruling out coalition with Sinn Fein as `another instalment of the negative campaigning which all of the establishment parties have engaged in over the last number of weeks. Cllr Ferris said:

``Over the last number of weeks we have seen all of the establishment parties engage in negative campaigning and once again today we heard the Taoiseach rule out coalition with Sinn Fein.   I am confident that the electorate will see these comments for what they really are and will decide who to vote for on the basis of issues and not negative campaigning.

``Of course the establishment parties are right to be concerned. Sinn Fein is the only party in a position to challenge the stale, corrupt and careerist establishment which has dominated politics in the 26 Counties for so long. At one point or another in the past 10 years all of the establishment parties have been in coalition with each other - sharing power and sharing in the benefits of power. The gross inequalities and inefficiencies in our health service, despite unprecedented economic prosperity, provide just one indication of the failure of successive governments to serve the people. Sinn Fein is building the radical alternative and pointing the way forward to an all-Ireland democracy, an Ireland of equals.''

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