McGuinness ‘not ashamed’ of the past

SINN Féin Presidential candidate, Martin McGuinness said he is “not ashamed” of his past when he made a brief visit to Ennis this week.

He insisted the people of Ireland want change and he is still very much in the running for the top job, despite a drop in support for him in the latest polls.
The most recent poll, revealed last Sunday, indicates that Sean Gallagher is favourite to win the election, with Michael D Higgins second and Martin McGuinness third, down 3% in popularity.
Speaking to The Clare Champion this week, Mr McGuinness said this election is an opportunity for change and, from what he has seen on the ground, people want a president who is not part of the “establishment”.
“The two candidates who appear to be in the lead of the polls are clearly representing the establishment,” he claimed.
He said the reaction he has been getting during his whistle-stop tour of the 32 counties has solidified his belief that he can win.
“I’m very pleased with the reception I am getting all over the island. It’s a phenomenally warm reception everywhere I go and, quite clearly, the people are up for change in my view. I think people appreciate the fact that in this election, there is a real opportunity to vote for somebody that has been tested in leadership. I’m just an ordinary person myself but I’ve led an extraordinary life over the course of the last 40 years and have been at the heart of some of the most important peace and political negotiations that Ireland has ever seen,” he said.
He said he is “philosophical” about the criticism he has received since entering the race for the Áras.
“I’ve met a lot of anger on the ground from people who are infuriated at the way some people have set themselves up as my critics in this election and have been very unfair in the way they’ve dealt with it. I’m very philosophical about all of it. If you consider 10 years ago when I was Education Minister in the North with David Trimble who was the Ulster Unionist First Minister, he was coming in for criticism from extreme Unionists about being in government. He said that just because somebody has a past, it doesn’t mean they don’t have a future. I’m not ashamed of my past.
“I think it’s ironic that Unionist leaders like David Trimble, Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson appear to be much more progressive than some of my critics who have yet themselves to understand the art of peacemaking.”
He went on to say, “I think the people of Ireland are very patriotic. I think they understand their history and come 2016, when we have a very important commemoration,  they really would like to see someone who represents every one of Ireland’s 32 counties in the Áras. These commemorations, and there are others of significance to the Unionist community in the north, need to be handled very sensitively and with great dignity and respect.”
Mr McGuinness stopped in Ennis shortly after finishing recording the TG4 election candidates’ debate. Currently learning Irish, he told The Clare Champion that while he was “very happy” with how it went, he questioned if a seven-candidate debate format is the best option.
“I think an interviewer would get much more out of the interviewee if it was an hour-long interview about that person’s life. It would give a much better insight rather than the format we’ve seen thus far. But whatever format is there, I’m up for it,” he said.
Speaking about his campaign he said, “There is a real opportunity in this election for people to make a new beginning, to bring about a real change and to bring about an opportunity to elect someone who wants to stand with the have nots against the haves. Against the backdrop of the selfishness and greed that we have seen over the course of recent times and against the awarding of these huge salaries and pensions and bonuses, by people who have effectively destroyed the economy.”
He outlined his background in job creation for the North and said he wanted to utilise this experience to Ireland’s advantage.
He emphasised that the presidential salary isn’t something he is interested in. “If elected, the vast bulk of the presidential salary will go back to the people of Ireland, not to any political party and certainly not back to the Exchequer.”
He also explained his proposal to use the presidential salary to create jobs for six young people. “I know six people is symbolic but it’s to show that I’m prepared to stand with the people of Ireland. It is for a greater purpose, to put it up to the selfish and the greedy who effectively destroyed the economy.”
He said there is a need to get back to the “core values” of the Irish people, of community and distributing wealth on the basis of equality. “If you look at the people who destroyed this country, they are some of the most unpatriotic people that Ireland has ever seen. Patriotism to me is about your country, your people, it’s most certainly not about yourself,” he concluded.