Where's Ireland gone?

Declan O'Neill

 

In decades gone events in Northern Ireland would dominate the pages of the socialist press. Sinn Fein leaders were feted as revolutionary heroes, long polemics were written on whether support for the IRA should be “unconditional” or “unconditional but critical”, and arguments raged over the relative merits of “troops out now” or “phased withdrawal”. Now that Sinn Fein is busily trying to restore devolved government rather than bomb it out of existence the interest seems to have waned. Indeed given the paucity of coverage of events in Ireland one, though, could be forgiven for thinking that nothing of interest to socialists is happening there. (1)

There are, at least, two issues in recent weeks that should have attracted more attention. One was the Irish parliamentary report that police and soldiers in Northern Ireland helped to coordinate a wave of loyalist bombings and gun attacks on both sides of the border in the 1970s. The Dail committee report goes on to say that “given that we are dealing with acts of international terrorism that were colluded in by the British security forces, the British government cannot legitimately refuse to cooperate with investigations and attempts to get to the truth." Surprisingly Tony Blair, the leading exponent of the “war on terror” seems less than eager to co-operate, but I suppose it would be a bit embarrassing for Britain to be labelled a “rogue state” or even part of the “axis of evil”.

The report is, of course, not news to most Irish people, but may come as something of a shock to those English liberals who prattle on about “our troops” being “the best in the world”. Who said something about repeating a lie often enough? Others, of course, may have problems with accounts of military collusion in acts of terror. For example, Military Families against the War, part of the STWC, takes a position that we “support our troops wherever they may serve as they have to fulfil their duties without question". Coming from their perspective that may be an understandable position, but it is surely one that should be challenged by socialists they work with in the coalition.

The other story is much less headline grabbing, but may be of greater significance for the long term future of Ireland. It is the ongoing talks about power-sharing in the wake of the St. Andrews “agreement”. Though the issues in dispute are obscure – essentially “who jumps first” on endorsing the police (Sinn Fein) and forming an executive (DUP), the outcome is important. Sinn Fein argues that if the Police Force is under the control of the Northern Irish assembly then it will no longer be British but rather a Northern Irish Police Service. However, as Socialist Worker (Ireland) has argued: “The idea that a devolved “Police Service” will operate outside the realms of the British State also seems far-fetched. The PSNI , for example, will be linked to the MI5 in the ‘war against terrorism’ and no amount of republican involvement will bring adjustment on this central priority.”

Indeed given the Dail report above it might be more accurate to talk of the police and MI5 organising terror, rather than fighting it.

Regardless of the policing issue there is little to welcome in a DUP-SF coalition running Northern Ireland, certainly nothing for the working people of the North. It does though open up the intriguing possibility of Sinn Fein soon being in government both North and South of the border (elections are due in the South next year). This, Sinn Fein argue, will enable them to work towards Irish unity through a process of “harmonization” of economic and social policies. Given the first of these they are arguing for is a cut in taxes on capital to Southern Irish levels, in order to attract foreign investors to the North of Ireland, it can be seen that there is little left of Sinn Fein’s avowed republican socialist past. Further clues on Sinn Fein’s political trajectory can be found in the fact that their most likely partner in any coalition in the 26 counties is Fianna Fail. Still the prospect of Sinn Fein being an integral part of government north and south of the border may change the political landscape in both parts of Ireland. Never has the need for a genuine left alternative throughout Ireland been more pressing.

 

(1) The only article I could find in this weeks left press was in Socialist Resistance.- on the St. Andrews agreement. 8/12/06
 

 

 

December 2006

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