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IN A STATEMENT released this evening, Martin McGuinness said that he will not be seeking re-election to the Northern Ireland Assembly in the upcoming election – in effect, announcing his retirement from politics.
The statement was sent to the media at 5.27pm with an embargo of 6pm, to coincide with television interviews McGuinness did which were broadcast on RTE One, BBC One Northern Ireland, and UTV.
The Sinn Féin politician said that he had always planned to step aside in May of this year – 10 years after he became Deputy First Leader of Northern Ireland – but that his “health and the current crisis” had overtaken this timeframe.
The statement in full:
“Last year, Gerry Adams and I confirmed that we had a plan in place for transition to a new leadership. For my part, it was my intention to step aside in May this year which would have marked 10 years since I entered government with Ian Paisley as joint leader of the northern Executive.
“Unfortunately, my health and the current crisis have overtaken this timeframe and I am stepping down from my role to make way for a new leader of Sinn Féin in the North.
“Over the last ten years I have worked tirelessly to make power-sharing work.
“The institutions are now in a deep crisis as a result of recent events and we are facing into an election when the people will have their say.
“After long and careful consideration, I have decided that it is time for a new generation of republicans to lead us into this election and the negotiations that will follow.
“Sinn Féin is a party in constant development, renewal and evolution.
“Our struggle for freedom and equality stretches back to the United Ireland movement of the 1790s. I am deeply proud of the democratic influences that Ulster Presbyterianism contributed to the Irish republican tradition.
“It remains my own personal and political ambition to break the link with Britain and to unite all who share this island under the common banner of Irish men and women.
“I am deeply proud of the generation of Irish republicans that came before us. A generation that kept the vision of freedom alive through the difficult post-partition era when they faced unrelenting repression and persecution from the Ulster Unionist Party in an apartheid Orange state.
“I have been privileged to be part of the generation that broke that apartheid state apart and to have been part of a Sinn Féin leadership that delivered peace and radical change. There are more republicans today than at any time in my generation.
“I look across the party north and south and see energy, determination, talent and potential new leaders emerging who, I am confident, will deliver equality, respect and Irish unity.
“My obvious health issues are being addressed by a superb team of national health service doctors and nurses.
“But I want to be open and honest with my friends and colleagues in Sinn Féin, with the electorate of Foyle and with the wider community beyond my own constituency. I also want to be fair to my family and to the teams of carers who are doing their best to provide me with the treatment I now require to deal with this very serious medical condition which I am very determined to overcome.
“Unfortunately, I am not physically able to continue in my current role and have therefore decided to make way for a new leader.
“This election is the right time for me to move aside so I will not seek re-election to the Assembly.
“I have full confidence in the strong team that we have built in the Assembly to carry forward the work of building institutions that deliver for all our people on the basis of equality, respect and integrity.
“A new leader will lead us into this Assembly election and into the negotiations that will inevitably follow on from that election.
“We need the strongest Sinn Féin team if we are to ensure the progressive change which is now an essential next step forward and our new leader will have my full and undivided support in the weeks and months ahead.
“We are on a journey to unite our people and unite our island.
“As a Sinn Féin activist I will continue to play a full and enthusiastic part in that essential process of building bridges, of dialogue and of reconciliation between our still divided people.
“Despite the current difficulties and challenges, I am confident and optimistic about the future. We have faced more difficult times and found a way forward.
“As a society we have made enormous progress.
“We must continue to move forward. Dialogue is the only option.”
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Hope he gets well soon.
Great interview, powerful stuff. Get well soon Martin.
That’s it Diarmuid …keep your head in the past. Left to you northern Ireland would still be back in the 70′s.
Thousands of victims of PIRA terrorism will be glad to see the back of this man.
The views of rabid shinnerbots won’t change that fact.
Ignore the Young Fine Gael piglet troll He’s a disingenuous stocking of sh!te.
Y’know, it has been heartwarming and invigorating to read so many well wishes for Martin McGuinness, especially from commenter’s who are in the main critical of his party and their policies. It showed a fine level of maturity and goodwill, fair play to you all.
And then I read diarmuids comments and almost split my sides laughing!
dermo, the thought of you reading the messages of goodwill for Martin and them sticking in your throat like the biggest bunch of sour grapes known to man shall sustain me on this January eve.
Cheers for that x
@For Connolly: Did you also split your sides laughing when the bombs went off or when there were news items about the disappeared, or the countless innocents murdered? You appear very keen to forget the past, which is rather convenient when discussing such an organisation.
For Connolly.. Watch what you say to Diarmuid.. The Journal are deleting comments that are telling him exactly what he is..
An innocent victim of a PIRA bomb, or a family member of a murdered Garda, or someone who can’t walk because of a Provo beating….
All these people are the only ones feeling joy on this fine evening.
Great tribute to Martin on the rte news from Mary McAleese. Then you come on here and read all the immature comments totally disregarding all the good work he did to bring peace and stability.
@watersedge: I find the best way to go about peace is not to bomb the **** out of your neighbours like a raving lunatic.
@Scundered: Possibly what McGuinness helped to create, the peace you know?
He’s lived some life and has traveled some journey. Best wishes to him for a full recovery followed by a well earned retirement.
Diarmuid you ignoramus chimp.Sit down and leave the attention seeking for another day.
You’re a gobs*it Diarmuid..Enda would be proud of you
Goodbye, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu…
@Diarmuid: Actually that sound you heard was the door hitting yourself…..
Twice in one week I have agreed with you FC. He was a good statesman, honest and built many bridges within sf/ira and with unionists and the Brits.
Diarmuid. I am certainly no SF lover and have no time for their past or their policies now but can you not see any merits to Martin McGuinness and his work? He was always honest about his past unlike Adams and why he got into the life that he did and helped bring peace even if only in later life?
@For Connolly:pearse mcaully you on about
Best of luck to him in his retirement. Well deserved
You’ve done well by your country Mo Chara. Get well soon.
Pfft.
Get well soon Marty and enjoy your retirement. Ireland owes a debt of gratitude to you.
Will be interesting to see what statements other politicians and presidents make on his retirement.
Love him or hate him as he is such a divisive figure, cant deny that he gave many good years in the end to Northern Ireland. Get well soon!! Also, is it just me or did the journal pull the Apollo article from this morning? Solid censorship if I ever saw it!
A brief interview on this evenings news of Rev David Latimer of First Derry Presbyterian Church in Derry, talking of his relationship with McGuinness. An absolute gentleman speaking about another absolute gentleman.
Well worth watching.
https://www.facebook.com/BBCNewsline/videos/1389969674368250/
He has been true to his word and to the people of this Island – Speedy recovery to you and best wishes for the future – thank you for helping bring about peace and reconciliation to our Country!!
Well best of luck to him one of the leaders of republican Ireland who actually brought peace to this island. Respect.
The old “Brits Out” policy kinda fell by the wayside there though…
@Diarmuid: Possibly because he is bit more mature then you……
Ah sure… a few jobs for the boys in a glorified county council ruled from London… that’s what it was all about wasn’t it?!!
Duirmuid did Martin McGuinness do something personally on you?
A sad day for politics in NI, I have a lot of respect for Martin and the way he conducted himself over the past 10yrs I truly believed he genuinely wanted a better and equal society for all of the people in NI. I wish you good luck for the future x
Guys has diarmuid answered my honest question whether Martin Mc Guinness has done something personal on him yet?
Thousands never got the chance to retire because of McGuinness and his gang.
So I take it you were a victim of terrorism?
Any idea who’ll replace him?
Whoever it is won’t be a patch in him!
I couldn’t name one Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil politician fit to shine the mans shoes!
Hoping he can enjoy retirement and keep the illness at bay.
So his resignation was an excuse
No, no it wasn’t. You obviously haven’t been keeping abreast of events in the North lately. Read up about them, reread this article, and then come back to us.
Huge Thanks to Martin for his contribution to politics in NI. Hope he prioritises his health and gets better soon and hope his wish for a United Ireland comes true.
A great leader and republican a pity to see him go have agreat retirement
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