Policing:Seven motions running contrary to Sinn Féin's policy of conditional support for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) were either voted down or withdrawn during the party's ardfheis.
There were no speakers in favour of any of the motions, all of which were submitted last November. That was two months before the special ardfheis on January 28th where the party's new approach to policing was adopted by an overwhelming majority.
Motions from branches in Tyrone and Fermanagh committing Sinn Féin to "withhold support for any policing arrangements in the Six Counties until there is a united, free and independent Ireland" or until "a clearly-defined transition to a united Ireland is under way" were rejected by strong majorities.
Two other motions in a similar vein from Swords, Co Dublin, and a third from Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, were also heavily voted down.
A motion from a cumann in Ballyheigue, Co Kerry, calling on the leadership to stay out of any policing arrangements that would "reinforce British rule in the North of Ireland" was withdrawn, as was a motion from a Monaghan cumann demanding the replacement of both the PSNI and the Garda by "an all-Ireland police service".
Delegate Eugene Garvey said the Leinster section of Ógra Sinn Féin, the party's youth wing, had withdrawn its co-sponsorship of one of the critical motions on policing and was now asking delegates to vote against it. He said that, at a special national congress, Ógra had changed its position.
"Ógra's position now on policing is one of supporting a municipal police force similar to that in the Basque country, and we also accept the decision that was taken here at the special ardfheis."
Speaking in advance of the votes being taken, Sinn Féin justice and policing spokesman Gerry Kelly MLA appealed to delegates to abide by the policing motion passed at the extraordinary ardfheis five weeks earlier.
"Having effectively put our political opponents behind the eight-ball, these motions would let them off the hook and give them a platform upon which to attack us. After such an historic move by Republicans, it would be foolhardy, to say the least, for delegates to let these motions go through today."
He continued: "In the last few weeks of canvassing throughout the North I can tell you that the support for our position on the doorsteps reflects the overwhelming vote given by the Sinn Féin delegates in the RDS a few weeks ago."
Mitchel McLaughlin MLA said the January ardfheis had taken place at "a truly historic point in our struggle" and the leadership had been mandated to take decisive steps towards delivering "a new beginning to policing in the North".
That "courageous decision" had an equally-important impact on the political process. Sinn Féin had again seized the initiative and the spotlight was on Ian Paisley and the Democratic Unionist Party.
"I hope he says 'yes', but in the event of him walking away, the process will move on regardless. This time that is the vital difference."
