Ireland of Equals Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Fein's Regional Campaigning Strategy

Rollout of the All-Ireland Regional Campaigning Strategy

The strategy developed by the All-Ireland Department was recently launched at three venues along the border corridor: in South Derry, South Leitrim and South Armagh. The meetings were well attended by councillors and other key unelected activists indicating a high level of interest in progressing social and economic campaigns on a regional, cross-border basis.

The Regional Campaigning Strategy seeks to establish coordinating structures linking councillors in regions to drive forward integrated and linked campaigns across Ireland. The project has identified the need to establish structures for this work first in the three cross-border regions (Northwest, Central Border and Eastern Border) in which Sinn Féin has approximately 60% of our local elected representation before taking it out across the rest of Ireland.

The focus of the three meetings was in bringing councillors together in each region as a team for the first time. Three coordinators have been identified in each region to take forward the programme of work: Thomas Pringle from Donegal, Martin Kenny from Leitrim and Tomás Sharkey from Louth. These regional coordinators will pull together regional teams to progress the rolling-out of the strategy in each region.

The theme of the meetings was campaigning around Health issues on a cross-border and integrated basis. There are many issues facing border communities in terms of challenging cut-backs and financial rationalisation processes but there is also huge potential for Sinn Féin councillors to use their positions as local leaders to deliver positive outcomes for local communities in the region.

The councillors were given presentations on the rationale and logic of the strategy and the potential to advance links with the campaign work undertaken by the all-Ireland Health Advisory team. They were also given a detailed presentation on the progress being made by Cooperation and Working Together (CAWT) a cross-border group who have led the way in integrating and improving cross-border Health services and provision and promoting all-Ireland approaches to Health.

Many councillors felt that the presentations enabled them to fully grasp the opportunities which were open to them to make a difference locally. All groups expressed a concern at the fact that there were now 78,000 people whose nearest out-of-hours GP provision was on the wrong side of the border and, therefore, inaccessible. CAWT is currently addressing this issue.

Coming out of the meetings the strategy coordinator, Domhnall O Cobhthaigh, felt confident that the strategy would now be taken forward in terms of action-on-the-ground in each area.

"There is a great deal of interest in this sort of campaign work. It is what defines Sinn Féin to many people. Health is going to be a priority area for Sinn Féin over the next few years. It is essential that we make the most of our political representation and use our strength to reach out to more people to deliver improvements.

"The underlying premise of the strategy is that some Sinn Féin councillors are often involving themselves in too many campaigns and that we may not be as effective as we might want to be. This strategy proposes a structure where we can take a step back, look at what motivates people, what they want and then prioritise one or two campaigns and seek to deliver on them as a cross-border regional group. The strategy links well to the Twenty-six County Campaign group which has a similar priority. We have also received considerable support from Sue Ramsey, Sinn Féin Six County Ionadaithe Coordinator. At the end of the day, the success of this strategy must be assessed on what it does but the high attendances at these meetings give us a good start in this work as the Irish saying goes: Is tús maith, leath na hoibre!"

The three regional coordination groups will meet regularly to take forward the strategy locally.

SEE PHOTO GALLERY SECTION OF THE WEBSITE FOR GROUP PHOTOGRAPHS OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE AT THE THREE MEETINGS.