THE ARD COMHAIRLE of Sinn Féin has backed the proposals on Northern Ireland set out by US diplomat Richard Haass.

The move will now shift the focus onto the North’s unionist and Alliance parties, who have so far rejected the proposals set out by Haass.

Speaking after the Ard Comhairle meeting, party president Gerry Adams said that the party supported a civil debate on the issues of flags, parades and the past.

“We believe that there needs to be a wide ranging debate in all sectors of society particularly in those areas most acutely affected by these contentious issues.

“As with every negotiation in which Sinn Féin has been involved, this document is a compromise position.”

Adams said that while they didn’t get everything that they wanted, Sinn Féin was happy to endorse the proposals and move on.

“Sinn Féin would like to have seen some aspects of the document strengthened and improved further. However agreement on everything was not possible. This is particularly the case with the flags issue.”

Adams added that it is of vital importance that dialogue continues.

Read: “Richard Haass didn’t fail, the political parties failed.” – North First Minister