“I am not prepared to take an oath. I am not going to take an oath. I am prepared to put my name down in this book in order to get permission to go into the Dail, but it has no other significance.” Eamon de Valera

In response to the signing of the Boundary Agreement between Great Britain and Ireland in December 1925, an extraordinary meeting of Sinn Féin was held in March 1926 to discuss the future of the party. Failing to get an agreement, Eamon de Valera resigned as leader of Sinn Féin and took rapid steps to establish a new national movement. On 16 May 1926, the inaugural meeting of Fianna Fáil was held in La Scala theatre in Dublin. Among the founding members were Seán Lemass, Gerry Boland, Countess Markievicz and Frank Aiken.

On 11 August 1927, over 40 Fianna Fail politicians entered Leinster House in small groups. Eamon de Valera was the last to enter the office of the Clerk of the House, accompanied by Frank Aiken and Dr James Ryan. To end their policy of abstentionism and take their seats in Dáil Éireann they were required to swear an oath of allegiance to the English King. However unwilling to compromise on his beliefs Mr. de Valera picked up the Bible, which was lying on the book containing the oath, carried it to the other end of the room and placed it on a couch there. He then went back signed his name on the line pointed out by the Clerk, while at the same time covering the writing above the line with some papers he held in his hand. With de Valera at the helm, the Party introduced a rapid succession of republican policy innovations and by 1932 Fianna Fáil had abolished the Oath of Allegiance to the British monarchy. In July 1937, the Irish people adopted Bunreacht na hÉireann, the Irish Constitution, a document that has stood the test of time and is the legal cornerstone of our society to this day.

The very foundation of Fianna Fail, the Republican party, was built on a policy of abstentionism and the principles of self determination, national freedom and sovereignty as laid out in the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

I’m not politically aligned one way or the other but it genuinely saddens me to see the leadership of Fianna Fail suggest now, in 2018, that Sinn Fein should take their seats in Westminster. How the leadership of Fianna Fail can be so far removed from the beliefs of the foundations of the party demonstrate how much United Ireland has been removed from their agenda. Of course it’s fair to say Fianna Fail are in an identity crisis, prancing around in their Ted Baker suits pretending they're not in government with Fine Gael.

Michael Martin isn’t alone in his thinking, he has the support of several colleagues and let’s not forget Eamon O’Cuiv’s pre-Brexit suggestion that Ireland should rejoin the commonwealth. The party seems to be split in two between The Old Guard who are staunchly conservative and the remaining middle class servants of Fine Gael who have no respect for their party history. It’s hard to see Fianna Fail doing well in the next election but the one thing that is certainly clear is that it won’t be Michael Martin that is leading them into the fray, as Fianna Fail battle to retain too many conservative seats it’s just absurd to imagine this rhetoric going down well with the party faithful. 

Ireland’s desire for stability has compromised its position on democracy. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have distanced themselves from the presidential race in an effort to maintain the status quo and avoid further debate on social issues.

People often consider the President as nothing more than a figure head whose purpose is to promote Irish tourism, but the President has a crucial part to play in our democracy and this shouldn’t be downplayed.

Every Bill must be signed by the Irish President before it can become law. Although the President can’t veto a Bill they can refer it to the Supreme Court or stand down in moral objection. That is why it is essential we vote for a president who represents our values, to give a message to the Government that we value our healthcare and that we demand social & affordable housing.

Choosing the right President can be the difference in fundamental changes in Irish society. For example do you think that Pearse Doherty would have silently signed the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Act 2013. The Act allowed for the immediate liquidation of IBRC (formerly Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society), which crystallised promissory (bank) debt into sovereign debt and ultimately resulted in billions of euro in loans being sold off at a heavy discount.  The Act was passed in an emergency sitting of the Dail without opposition receiving a copy of the Bill prior to the debate.

Or do you think Paul Murphy as president would have agreed to sign the Water Services Act 2014 creating the failed Irish Water monopoly which has plagued Irish politics ever since.  

I also doubt very much that our former President Mary McAleese would remain as silent on the cervical check scandal which has been handled in the most inhumane manner by this Government.  

Call me cynical if you like but the last thing I want is a puppet President who continues to support this confidence and supply Government, they couldn’t be more wrapped up in the financial crash and Garda Corruption. On the advice of the Government the President appoints the governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, the members of the Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal, the Ombudsman, and the members of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. Imagine what Maurice McCabe or Jonathan Sugarman would have to say about these appointments if either of them were President.

Of course there is suitable compensation for being complicit with the Leo-liberal rascals in power. The annual salary of the President of Ireland is no less than €250,000 plus expenses and not to forget that golden handshake, an annual pension in excess of €120,000 a year.

The cost of running an election is nothing compared to the cost of turning a blind eye to the problems we face as a society. We should be electing a President that will stand with the people, a President with a mandate to hold the Government accountable. Don’t take the office f President for granted, let’s hear what the candidates have to say.
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Image by Harry Burton @HBtoons