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Gerry Adams Barry Cronin/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Gerry Adams: I'm not quitting as Sinn Féin leader

Adams has rejected suggestions that he should give way to a rising star such as Pearse Doherty or Mary-Lou McDonald.

GERRY ADAMS HAS rejected suggestions that he should consider stepping down as Sinn Féin leader in order to allow some new blood at the top of the party.

He said: “I’m the party leader. I intend to be the party leader.”

Adams acknowledged that rising stars such as Pearse Doherty and Mary-Lou McDonald had given the party new prominence in Dáil debates, but said he had been democratically elected to head the party at a recent ardfheis.

Asked whether he had considered retirement, he said: “I haven’t even thought about it.” Adams told an interviewer on RTÉ’s This Week that the party needed “that mix of leadership” including both experience and youth.

He also confirmed that the party was considering mounting a Supreme Court legal challenge if the Government decided not to hold a referendum on the new EU fiscal compact.

Adams said Sinn Féin had received legal advice and would seek more when the final draft of the compact had been published.

More: Sinn Féin granted meeting with Troika>

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47 Comments
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    Mute Peter Carroll
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:25 PM

    Keep him in place. The last thing we need is a mainstream leader at the top of Sinn Fein who might attact the support of the moderate left.

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    Mute Anel Cceram
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    Jan 23rd 2012, 8:10 AM

    I would say given that labour is gone further than greens after next election that it’s kind of inevitable!!

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    Mute David Higgins
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:25 PM

    Once he leaves, SF will go much higher in the polls, he’s holding them back!

    64
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    Mute Antóin O' Cinnéde
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:30 PM

    In recent years Gerry Adams has proven himself to be one of the most competent politicians on the island of Ireland. Under his leadership Sinn Féin have become a real political force and alternative in this country 32 counties. Right-wing opponents are quick to call SF hypocrites over implementation of cuts in the North but the reality of the situation is that Sinn Féin have been fighting for more political control in the North while the FG/Lab and FFers have been handing political control over in the south. Sinn Féin are the party of the future whether the right-wingers want to believe it or not and Gerry Adams is doing a very good job as leader of a very good team.

    58
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:45 PM

    Antóin. I think he was very brave and courageous to stick his head out and work towards peace, but there are plenty will not vote SF while he is leader.

    Time to leave egos aside and make a sacrifice for his country. Let’s face it he will remain in the party and will still have a voice. I’ve nothing against him as I didn’t walk in his shoes so I don’t want to judge him. I admire what he and others in SF did working for peace.

    41
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    Mute Jim Brady
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:43 PM

    Discontinuing terrorism isn’t exactly the same thing as working for peace. This is Sinn Fein, not SDLP

    24
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 7:07 PM

    Well Jim, Adams couldn’t chose a better man than Hume to emulate. And regarding Adams, credit where credit is certainly due.

    29
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    Mute Conal
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:39 PM

    I really do wonder what would happen if Mary-Lou McDonald or Pearse Doherty was brought in as party leader.

    50
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:47 PM

    Conal. I think it would be a step in the right direction to let the younger ones through.

    As long as they keep some of the oule fellas for negotiating with the economic terrorists. (I’ll go now)…

    55
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    Mute Michael Hegarty
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:50 PM

    Honestly, Gerry and Martin hold me back from voting SF. I would seriously consider SF if both of them stepped aside.

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    Mute Bruce
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 8:23 PM

    Mary lou would balls up the party… All mouth and little brain. Pierce would never be a vote getting leader. Like it or not donegal accent / people wont wash with the national electorate.

    16
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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 9:04 PM

    I can only think that the obvious lack of knowledge of southern affairs that Gerry Adams displayed during the 2007 General Elections and the embarrassing encounter between Martin McGuinness and the son of Private Patrick Kelly on his presidential campaign trail in some ways plagues the SF cause.
    I think that SF has a bright future in the Republic and the present state of the country presents an even more ample opportunity for the SF party to further establish itself as the Nationalist/Republican party that has rightly earned that title.
    It has a say in both administrations on the island and can turn that to it’s advantage in asserting it’s position regarding the unity of the Irish people and the representation of it’s interests abroad. This makes me believe that it needs a different mix of leadership.

    18
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 10:37 PM

    Bruce. Think it’s silly to be slagging off Mary-Lou. We hardly have a competent lot working for us now. A patriotic party would be s welcome change. As for Pearse, I find his accent quite nice. I’ll leave it at that.

    15
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    Mute Jim Brady
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:12 PM

    You gotta love the irony, SF seeking legal advice!

    47
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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:18 PM

    ATM we have 3 choices, 2 and a half in reality. I do think if Sinn Féin are serious about becoming a credible choice as an all-Ireland party those that fought the war must stand aside. War always leaves scars.

    Those that support them should thank them, and those that didn’t, should, in their own words, “get over it”, “move on”, “let the past stay in the past”, you get the picture…

    We need more choice.

    47
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    Mute Paul Houston
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:30 PM

    Interesting comments. I do think it’s time to think about a new party leader, I think for growth that new leader will have to be from the ‘South’ I’m impressed with Pearse and think he would be a good choice.

    45
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    Mute Karl Doyle
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:31 PM

    Pearse was born in Scotland.

    16
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    Mute Karl Doyle
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:33 PM

    Just saying!

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    Mute Réada Quinn
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:58 PM

    So was James Connolly. Just saying too.

    39
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    Mute joseph mcgee
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    Jan 23rd 2012, 12:01 AM

    i think someone told me ages ago that william wallace hailing from scotland too.
    can anyone confirm this?

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    Mute mcbab
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:27 PM

    Was a pathetic interview. All bull and bluster. Would have bet 100 euro he was going to use the word “citizens” within the first 5 minutes. Would have won! His favourite buzz word. Idiot.

    44
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    Mute Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:32 PM

    Well, at least he is not using the word comrades :-), yet

    41
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    Mute kat fitz
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:14 PM

    hearing the word citizens is refreshing, since it encompasses everyone in the country and not just taxpayers. sinn fein has to fight for every vote because they do not have the generational incest of politicians and voters that keep returning the same amadons that have the country staring into the abyss once more. gerry and his crew stood up when most of us would have crawled away. he has fought harder for peace than war. so just get over it we need someone who thinks about citzens and not just taxpayers afterall we are one in the same. your personal slaggings are so juvenile and it only tells me your vote for f.f. and f.g. this time is the reason the country is in the mess we have today. i d rather have peirce doherty in the finance dept than michael (dont forget bridget mc call) noonan. its time for new solutions and not the same old crap. thanks gerry your a breath of fresh air……..

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    Mute Noddy Mooney
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:22 PM

    Well said Kat.

    55
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    Mute Jim Brady
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:48 PM

    As long as SF have the likes of comrade Adams as leader (e.g. his fiscal manifesto based on altering VAT from something to some other number), he’s got my full approval.
    God forbid a credible alternative should surface.

    26
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    Mute Mark osullivan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:52 PM

    Gwan Gerry with your big chuck Norris head

    39
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    Mute Seamus Clarke
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 8:21 PM

    Adams is the most popular political leader in Ireland, yet RTÉ want to ask about him staying as the leader of his party, when Gilmore was leading the polls did they ever ask him that?

    Sinn Féin in government = RTÉ’s overpaid halfwits getting their wages slashed, their agenda is clear. Adams abú!

    34
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    Mute Adam Magari
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:07 PM

    And in the same radio interview Adams said that one of the problems with the Dail was that too many people had been there for too long. Consistency?

    33
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    Mute Seán Ó Briain
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:22 PM

    Well, he’s only been in the Dáil a few months. I’d say he’s been fairly consistent.

    66
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    Mute Adam Magari
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:30 PM

    How long as he been leader of Sinn Fein? Thirty or forty years?

    13
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    Mute Conor Foley
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:08 PM

    reminiscent of “ein Reich, ein Fuhrer”

    31
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    Mute Oliver Merlehan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:37 PM

    They say a thread is finished with a mention of the Nazi’s! Well done Conor.

    43
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    Mute Shanti Om
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:51 PM

    Conor
    Straw Man (Fallacy Of Extension):
    attacking an exaggerated or caricatured version of your opponent’s position.
    For example, the claim that “evolution means a dog giving birth to a cat.”

    Another example: “Senator Jones says that we should not fund the attack submarine program. I disagree entirely. I can’t understand why he wants to leave us defenseless like that.”

    On the Internet, it is common to exaggerate the opponent’s position so that a comparison can be made between the opponent and Hitler.

    Fallacy = error of reasoning, poor logic.

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    Mute john g mcgrath
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:14 PM

    Very appropriate one Europe one leader as long as it’s german

    11
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    Mute Adam Murphy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:25 PM

    It’s funny, I actually think that Sinn Fein are just one leadership change away from being in a position to challenge for Government. Just like any large company, the reputation of SF is associated with its leader. If Gerry Adams were to go, people would begin to see Sinn Fein in a much more positive light.

    24
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    Mute Conor Foley
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:30 PM

    your probably right though it would take more than Adams for many to consider SF, anyone with a whif of cordite would need to bo also, which would be much of its senior leaders, now with a few exceptions (McGuinness may) do we really expect them to ride of into the sun set for the greater good of either the party or the country ?

    10
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 9:24 PM

    Those pesky killers and “political” bank and post office robbers with citizens’ blood on their hands really are a PR buzzkill aren’t they!

    15
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    Mute Bruce
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 8:15 PM

    His days are numbered. The end of shinner party is nigh. Yippee!!

    21
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    Mute Fiachra KME
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 6:33 PM

    Without doubt Gerry is holding SF back, he’s a good leader in terms of the conflict but now in normal poiltics he needs to go. Pearse or Mary-Lou would be far better and hopefully do it soon as never before has Gerry had to answer questions about his leadership.

    19
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    Mute Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 3:11 PM

    Parasites come and go, but the nanny state holds firm!

    15
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    Mute Shanti Om
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 4:57 PM

    Please refer to what I said to Conor,
    Straw men are not a useful argument..

    13
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    Mute Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:18 PM

    Dear Shanti, you are pulling a straw man on me because I didn’t have a straw man argument. All I made was a statement. If you have seen any of my comments them you will know that I refer to practically all politicians as parasites. Because all they do is being charitable with other people’s money. To my knowledge no one in any political party in Ireland is proposing a substantial reduction in the size of the government and its departments, hence, the nanny state stands firm. So, WTF were you saying again?

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    Mute Shanti Om
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:31 PM

    And the “he’s not using the word comrades yet”??

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    Mute Dave McCarthy
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 5:53 PM

    He is not, is he? Did I say he was? What’s your point?

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    Mute Philip Riordan
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    Jan 22nd 2012, 8:19 PM

    as a sf member i say gerry has done sum good work for the party but i agree that new blood shud be allowed to come thru and given the chance to prove them selfs gerry and martin have betrayed the irish people in the past and if sf r to take power we need to get away from the stigmata that surrounds the party at present

    10
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    Mute Rocky Dennis
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    Jan 23rd 2012, 7:29 AM

    Whatever Gerry, Wheres Jean McConville?

    9
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    Mute Roy Reeder
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    Jan 23rd 2012, 12:18 AM

    The only way sf will move forward is if the step away from the past and Gerry and Martin are doing them no good at the moment a new era a new Sinn fein

    8
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