SF Seek US United Ireland Backing

Gerry Adams has called on Irish Americans to show their support for a united Ireland.

The Sinn Féin president was speaking in New York last night when he said Irish America needed to "persuade political opinion in America that a United Ireland is in the best strategic interests of the USA.

"We need Irish America to get your new President and Secretary of State and the USA to use your enormous influence with the British government to move them in that direction," he said.

Last month Sinn Féin renewed their call for a border poll to determine whether the people of Northern Ireland would support a united Ireland.

The DUP described any such poll as a waste of taxpayers’ money, arguing that the matter of the Union is already settled.

But Mr Adams told Irish Americans last night to "support the holding of a border poll".

"Twenty years ago, in 1992, Sinn Féin’s efforts to build a peace process entered a new and critical phase. We did so with the direct help of our friends here in the USA," he said.

"Irish America needs to continue to challenge human rights abuses and campaign on social justice issues, like the wrongful imprisonment of Marian Price and Martin Corey."

This week the Sinn Féin leader called on US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to "raise the case of Marian Price McGlinchey and to support her release.

"The Good Friday Agreement has created the means by which Irish unity can be achieved democratically and peacefully," he continued.

"Sinn Féin in the new year will commence a campaign to achieve this. That means we need to build momentum and support so that the Irish and British governments are persuaded to hold a border poll.

"We will then have to campaign for a YES vote and to persuade the people of the island of Ireland to support unity and the creation of a new Republic."

(IT/GK)