Welcome to Policy Issues is a journal series that delves deep into the ideas and solutions proposed by Irish politicians on some of the biggest issues of the day.
As part of the series, the Journal interviews a range of spokespeople from Ireland’s political parties to take a deep look at what they think needs to be done across areas such as housing, health, environment and childcare.
This week we spoke to Sinn Féin’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Matt Carthy, to discuss how the party would approach its diplomatic brief if it came to power.
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According to Matt Carthy, Ireland is at a “pivotal” time in its history, which generations to come will look back on as “a period of profound and positive change”.
That will happen “much sooner than people think,” according to Carsey.
Mr Carthy, TD for Cavan Monaghan, served as a member of the House of Commons from 2014 until his election to Parliament in 2020.
Now the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson, he says there is much work to do before a united Ireland is possible, but the current division does not allow Ireland to reach its full potential. I think it can’t be done.
Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has previously said he believes he will see a united Ireland in his lifetime, and the UK’s decision to leave the European Union has taken the debate to a new level. .
The issue will require a vote, but the Good Friday Agreement provides that the people of the island of Ireland exercise their right to self-determination by agreement between the north and the south.
In Carthy’s view, this vote could only take place based on a “constructively planned approach”.
“That’s why we have been calling on the government to take concrete steps to actually plan for a united Ireland. That means establishing a citizens’ assembly and carrying out the necessary conversations and analysis. ,” Kersey said.
he added:
What I know for sure is that I live in a border community, and that everyone on this island is helped by the fact that we have two of everything.
“We are too small a country to operate like that.”
“I don’t think it makes sense from an economic standpoint, from a geographic standpoint, from any perspective,” Kersey said.
“A united Ireland is clearly a wise proposition. What we need to do now is speak to the hearts of those who are not yet convinced and make sure that a united Ireland is important to them, their families, their communities and more importantly. “It’s about convincing people that it’s in the best interest of the county, across the 32 counties in this country.”
Mr Carthy said Sinn Féin was mindful of the need to respect and build relationships with Unionists when it came to winning hearts and minds.
Britain’s King Charles is expected to make his first visit to Ireland since ascending the throne this year.
Would Kersey and party leader Mary Lou McDonald attend any events if invited?
“We haven’t been invited to anything, but we’re going to look into the content of the event,” Kersey said.
“As you know, we have had interactions with members of the royal family, and that has always been done in the context of an ongoing peace and reconciliation process.
“We have taken this action in part because we are mindful that for many people on this island, King Charles is the monarch. “We do this out of respect for them as much as a need to build relationships between the islands,” he said.
european union
Sinn Féin has been seeking a relationship with the EU for many years.
Carthy said the party used to oppose European integration, but Ireland’s membership in the EU was no longer on the table.
“At the end of the day, there is a very broad consensus that membership in the European Union is very beneficial for us. We take this to mean that we cannot criticize any aspect of the European Union. Some people interpret it,” Kersey said.
Based on his own experience, he has formed the view that there are elements of the way the EU operates that need to change.
“As a former member of the European Parliament, it is very difficult to tell the public how the decisions that are being taken at European level will affect them, so this bill has several aspects. “I felt at times that it was intentionally designed to be confusing,” Kersey said.
He added that the EU must “constantly evaluate” how it can better serve its citizens, but believes success in areas such as climate change and food security can only be achieved at EU level. .
“Where the European Union gets into trouble is when it tries to interfere with the sovereignty of member states on issues that are best decided at member states or even lower levels,” he said.
As part of Sinn Féin’s bid to leave the EU, Mr Carthy last year reversed his commitment to withdraw from the EU and NATO defense agreements, rolling back Sinn Féin’s position.
Sinn Féin has repeatedly promised in the past to leave the EU’s Pesco agreement and NATO’s Partnership for Peace if it enters government.
Last year, Prime Minister Carthy said it was no longer the case that Sinn Féin would immediately withdraw Ireland from both agreements.
Does this mean a watering down of Sinn Féin policy ahead of the election?
In Kersey’s eyes, that wasn’t the case. Rather, he said it showed that Sinn Féin was prepared to honor existing international commitments.
This is an idea that Mr. Carthy returns to repeatedly during interviews: the importance of policy coherence at the international level.
Mr Carthy said the only way a country like Ireland could have a strong voice in the world was by having a consistent approach to issues of international law.
At present, Sinn Féin believes that Ireland’s approach to Israel and Gaza is inconsistent.
He pointed out that the Irish government had acknowledged that there had been a breach of international law in relation to Israel’s air strikes on Gaza, and asked why its response to this was different from its response to Russia and its invasion of Ukraine.
Nevertheless, he said the government’s official statements on Israel and Palestine deserve some recognition.
On policy issues and public statements, Irish governments have historically taken very progressive and correct positions.
“I think our country’s standing in the world is based on the fact that we have had an independent foreign policy, and I’m concerned that that will be undermined.
“We were able to speak truth to power, and we were able to do so with confidence thanks to our consistent approach. It was partly based on our neutrality. ,” Kersey said.
He believes there are current moves within the government to undermine Ireland’s neutrality, pointing to the decision announced by Michael Martin in November to lift the triple lock on Irish military involvement in overseas operations.
Mr Carthy said the Sinn Féin government would reverse this “regrettable” decision.
Looking to the future
Sinn Féin enjoys strong support in opinion polls and remains the most popular party in the country, according to the latest research.
Looking to the future, will ownership of the foreign affairs portfolio become an insurmountable issue for Sinn Féin in coalition negotiations?
“That’s a problem for our party leadership,” Kersey said.
“Personally, I would like to get a Sinn Féin Foreign Secretary because I think he would bring energy to the portfolio.
“We still have some way to go before that happens,” Kersey said.
He added: “Of course, if there is an opportunity to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, I will gladly accept it.”
