A Letter To Sinn Fein

Dear Mrs McDonald,

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I write to Sinn Fein and you in order to seek clarifications on a number of positions, possible future policies and issues that your party have yet to make clear for the voting public of Ireland. On their behalf, I wish to raise and inquire about a number of matters that have been raised also with ourselves. Where Sinn Fein stands, or what they are willing (or not) to do, is something many people consider vital as a 2024 or 2025 general election comes nearer.

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I should inform you, to be fair to you and Sinn Fein, that this letter with its content will be shared on social media, on the UnitedPeople.ie website and on theruddsite.ie too. Any response provided back to this letter, will be then shared on the same locations, unedited by ourselves. In other words, a passed-on reply will be greatly welcomed and a wider opportunity to get across where Sinn Fein stands on matters, and will be able to reach a greater audience.

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The following matters are raised with Sinn Fein not as an open or sly method to attack Sinn Fein or any of its individual representatives, It is an open quest to seek answers that so far, Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour and Green Party still continue to avoid raising, avoid addressing and avoid answering as they cowardly duck and dive, same time continuously trying to distract all citizens away from awareness of such issues as raised here, and away from a continuing inability to do what for years, even decades, needs to be done.

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So, to the questions and issues:

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1. Every year schools churn out costly requirements. Many have switched from “Volunteer Fees” that they used to try gaining, to now applying new annual “Registration fees” for the start of every term. Secondary schools are also charging large book rental fees such as one in Drogheda who are seeking a €350 amount for every teen. If parents decide to try to save money by buying the books themselves, new or second hand, the school applies instead a charge of €150 bill instead. Either way, the books companies win, the schools gain – but in both cases, parents lose.

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This is also before we also get to new uniforms for ever growing children. As in Drogheda where one local shop has a very near monopoly on the providing of what is expensive uniforms, parents are again out serious amounts of money. Add to this, some schools further impose the use of Ipads that have to be bought from a company that has a monopoly, parents are further under serious severe pressure. If such schools do it on purpose or not, the imposition of huge bills makes some schools only able to be applied to, by the more financially wealthy of Irish society. low paid are (deliberate?) unable to apply due to their financial status. A form of discrimination is possible born.

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(a) Is Sinn Fein willing to step up and tackle the book companies that are charging outrageous prices for books, especially those charging the same full prices for e-books, as apply to paperback editions?

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(b) Is Sinn Fein willing to look at tackling the racket operated by some book companies, where they annually slightly change their books – so that parents then have to buy “the latest edition”, rather than being able to even try to save money by seeking second-hand book copies?

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(c) Is Sinn Fein willing to do what other parties refuse to still do, that is tackle a number of wide-ranging monopiles being perpetuated by local shops and even technology companies?

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(d) Is Sinn Fein willing to closer examine the issue of school uniforms and more generic forms of garments being used by standard public schools, over a monopolising situation that arises all too often at local levels?

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(e) Is Sinn Fein willing to examine the introduction of annual registration fees that are being applied to students in replace of the volunteer fees many schools were told not to be applying? (Some schools using “Registration fee” as a PR way to get around any “Volunteer fee” now state cracked down on)

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2. The usual old parties wish to see citizens of Ireland still financially bullied and extorted by threats issued, in order that RTE is kept going regardless of their still unwillingness to provide transparency in all matters regarding use of public money given to it. Their stalling tactics alongside a continuing reluctance to be legally accountable for misdeeds, begs the following question to be asked. Will Sinn Fein cease any RTE extortion racket that is currently PR dressed up in excuses of necessity – and should the usual extorting parties bring in a new PR version of public extortion by threat so that RTE can still gain taxpayer money by bullying, will Sinn Fein cease those activities too?

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3. Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Green party still refuse to allow a democratic referendum vote to take place, regarding Ireland’s neutrality status. They act undemocratic in their blank refusal to allow their employers, the public, to award a democratic mandate or object to an ongoing current one being now forced onto a present generation and future one. Will Sinn Fein allow the citizens of Ireland to have a clear democratic say regarding neutrality?

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4. Since the foundation of the Irish state and a constitution adopted with it’s latest updates and more, elected TD’s and representatives of state departments have been able to escape proper legal accountability, once they have resigned from their position or an election has been called. Time and again we have all seen questionable characters doing highly stupid things, burning through public money with little or no care, while also openly breaking a range of potential serious laws. They quickly resign when exposed or caught, thus notable to be better held to a legal courtroom or committee account. Will Sinn Fein address this matter by introducing far better legal legislation so that those doing wrongs are still able to be better accountable, even after they have left a previous position held, be it a departmental one or of an elected position previously held?

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5. Following up from the last question, will Sinn Fein create long overdue legislation that should stipulate that a person must turn up to a Public Accounts Committee (or similar) in order that investigative questions can be asked and greater information tried to be accessed in order to examine issues? Will Sinn Fein create in such legislation, additional incorporating, serious penalties for those failing to turn up as legislative legal summoned to do?

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6. Too many times we have seen elected at local and national level carry out actions that by no coincidence, run parallel to their own personal interests. Michael Noonan, for example, was allowed to make the state decision if or not to ‘burn the bondholders’ previously. At the same time, Mr Noonan was himself a bondholder. This is a job conflict of interest. Previously, Bertie Ahern held a state position in regards to forestry while at the same time, reportedly was in a Swiss group, carrying out a committee role – which at the same time was attempting to obtain Ireland forestry land. Such actions might be viewed as a kin to ‘insider trading’ as not only he was operating a conflict of interest but had possible access to departmental information, knowledge of future motivations or even access to financial numbers through conversations had with other official or personal direct access to state files.

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Will Sinn Fein create the long much needed legal legislation in order to stop any further potential conflicts of interest or ‘insider trading’ potential act that elected or state departmental heads could try to further carry out in questionable action? Elected TD’s and local elected operating as landlords (or though families/friends as a potential front) are creating and passing legislations and bylaws that also come into conflict with their own personal interests. Will this whole matter be addressed by Sinn Fein seeing as Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, The Green Party and Labour, for long years have constantly refused to do so! For obvious reason? Will Sinn Fein do what needs to be done, seeing as others repeatedly won’t, despite being asked?

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7. As of June 2024, Ireland has been found to be the most expensive state in the EU for consumer goods, according to a Eurostat investigation. It has been long thought by multinational companies – including supermarket conglomerates – that Ireland is a ‘golden basket’ that is easy to exploit via higher prices in comparison to other EU states in which is sold the exact same products. We might expect some price fluctuation from EU state to EU state given that additional border taxes or passport costs, etc, are further a pricing factor, but prices in the Irish state are a whopping 46 per cent above an EU price average.

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The question for Sinn Fein is thus; will Sinn Fein here too do what needs to be done. What others still decline to do! That is, further attempt to rein in those that are deemed to be over-exploiting the people of Ireland right now, during a still ongoing ‘cost of living’ financial crises!

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8. Around the state many people continue to be left suffering in financial cost due to the potential existence of unofficial business cartels. For example; in the hiring of waste skips within many counties, there are businesses who seem regular keep their own prices extremely close to others, setting up as such, an apparent agreed equality level of prices to be charged. The chance of citizens sourcing real competition so that they make any attempt to save money, is far less possible under a potential existence of such quiet cartels.

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The same situation also appears to happen when it comes to contracting with other services within constituencies. Standard household waste bin services are judged by many to be another similar example – besides potential others. Will Sinn Fein therefore create far greater legislation in order to improve eradications of local potential cartels being in existence?

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9. A number of existing state bodies that have been previously created to act as potential ‘watchdogs’ on matters and people that are open to abuse or further exploitation, are still constricted by legal powers they don’t have – but which they annually plead to have improved. For example; SIPO often cannot look into matters they get ’wind of’ or suspect exists, because certain old legislation has its hands tied. A person from outside SIPO must make an official report on some matters first. This legal requirement has allowed certain situations to still go unaddressed investigated with staff in SIPO, who know from experience or inner information gathered, that there are further potential dodgy matters that need to be further delved into by their investigative staff. This state body, with others, requires far greater investigative powers and ability, to apply stronger punishments for non-adherence to its requests. Will Sinn Fein give such state bodies the long needed greater legislative abilities, that other parties wont?

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10. Over a good few years and decades of local and national elections in Ireland, citizens of higher political awareness have seen political elected lose their prior democratic awarded positions – care of a further election that has taken place, leading to a later ousting by fresher voting numbers that have decided others are no longer mandate wanted in a representation job role. Voters have more decided they are no longer wanted. Full stop!

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What has the likes of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour party, etc, gone and then done? At the first opportunity, they bung the sacked elected officials into the Seanad, often as further roles of representation – lording over some of the very people who made it clear by democratic process, that they do not want lording over them or acting in a representational role.

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Let’s put it another way. Old political parties continue to use the Seanad as a means to their end. A method to see their own favoured are further looked after – till at a later appropriate time if they can arrange things – a prior sacked person can once more try gaining an elective representative role yet again. They are entitled to run again – only right – but the use of the Seanad in apparent acts of cronyism, is witnessed or felt by many citizens to be just plain wrong. The persons within parties carrying out such cronyism acts, are judged to be acting in a further undemocratic way, by forcing on citizens, some sacked people that voters have clear election indicated they do not want!

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The question therefore towards Sinn Fein is thus: Will Sinn Fein create a much needed act of legislation, to more ensure that sacked elected representatives are not then forced upon citizens who want no more to do with them? Will Sinn Fein see to it that they are not thereafter, cronyism given an Oireachtas role that equates to the sacked again acting in a representation role? A role without an actual direct public awarded, democratic issued mandate! Will Sinn Fein here too, do what needs to be done, where other parties will not do because the crony levels they operate at, still suits their personal interests!

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The ten questions asked in this letter are just starter questions. The questions asked could be more expanded and greater gone into in many aspects. However, I have tried to keep the starter questions as concise as possible, while making it clear that there are certain matters that need to be more examined and then soon resolved to the betterment of the public and state. More questions could be assuredly asked – and they should be – but the ten listed here are also ones which Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour, Green Party, etc, continue to avoid.

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The questions put to Sinn Fein here, can be put to other opposition parties. As their members will no doubt become aware that these matters have been raised here, they are welcome to supply their own answers to questions asked. If any of them decide to do so, their replies will also be shared – unedited by myself – to the first page listed web locations for all to equally read.

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I do not expect an immediate reply to the questions asked, but I do hope that Sinn Fein will within a decent amount of time, respond with either clear-cut answers of “Yes” or “No” – or they will do so with further explanatory detail.

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If there is no reply at all within a decent time-frame, then this too will be made widely known. This letter will be sent by email & by post (in paper form) to the national headquarters of Sinn Fein.

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I do not seek to create an opportunity for later potential criticism. No. What others and I seek, is some clear answers to matters that prior parties that have gained government seats, have declined to comment on, never mind also, not better look at, not speak about and not resolve at all. Their acts of no-action and deliberate silence are no longer acceptable. Ireland needs far better if it is to improve even more for future generations. The current generation owes it to later offspring and fellow citizens, to better raise such listed issues.

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My humble open letter is one small attempt to do this.

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As an individual citizen of Ireland, a husband and father of six children, I wish to help Ireland to progress in any potential way. Greater transparency and improved accountability are some of the ways I feel, are productive to help create a country where our future generations are far more better looked after, alongside being far less open to exploitation and unfair, unjust attack.

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I look forward to obtaining any and all possible replies from parties that are greater willing to act with increased professionalism, greater accountability and far more transparency while acting in a departmental or elected role.

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Yours sincerely,

Jeff Rudd.