Draw Breath

Oh the joys of being an all-Ireland party! Marvellous to read two posts on the Sinn Féin site from the 7^th of August and one from the 13^th:

First we hear that:

"Sinn Féin West Belfast MLA Paul Maskey MLA has welcomed the Aer Lingus decision to base its new regional hub at Belfast International Airport.

Mr Maskey said:

"This is good news for local people who get new flights and hopefully cheaper flights."

and then, from Sinn Féin's Limerick representative, Maurice Quinlivan:

This decision on the Heathrow route if confirmed could prove very detrimental to our local economy and will make it difficult to attract tourism and future investment. Direct jobs will also be lost at the airport. We are a small island nation we need a national airline, one that will play a dynamic role in the national and local economy ensuring we have adequate cargo and freight routes as well.

Then there's Arthur Morgan TD:

“Fianna Fáil through its privatisation agenda has facilitated this financial loss to the country thus proving again that the privatisation of key public services and interests does not deliver better services, more jobs or a stronger economy."

So that's a clearly all-Ireland party line then.

Just following up from the previous post (I really should be working!), I've just taken to wondering. Post the Adams-McGuinness nexis in the leadership of Sinn Féin, who'd be the next natural leader? More interestingly, do you think it would be possible to have a Sinn Féin leader from south of the border? If no, what does it say about SF? If yes, what would it say about the centrality of Northern Ireland to SF politics?

I wonder...