Issue 14 - Political Platform: Sinn Féin's Daithí McKay, the Assembly's youngest MLA

At 26, Sinn Féin’s Daithí McKay is the Assembly’s youngest MLA. His profile rose rapidly last year when he was elected to the Assembly and appointed to the Policing Board. Daithí was elected to Ballymoney Borough Council in 2005 and was a political advisor to the constituency’s last Sinn Féin MLA, Philip McGuigan. He sits on the Assembly’s Environment Committee.

How did you get involved in politics?

I didn’t actually come from a republican background but I became politically motivated around the age of 16 from reading books on politics, and immediately identified with the republican perspective. After leaving school I joined my local Sinn Féin branch (cumann) and worked at the Ulster Bank in Belfast until 2003. I made a decision to quit my job and go to work in Cuba during that summer – not knowing what I would do when I got back. When I came home again the Assembly election campaign was just getting underway, and after I got involved in that I soon found myself working in a full-time capacity for the party.

Do you find any extra pressure on you as the youngest member of the Assembly?

I can’t say that I do. A number of Sinn Féin MLAs were elected to the Assembly for the first time last year so there were many of us in the same boat. I think that inexperience can sometimes be an advantage as you are starting with a blank canvas whereas other older elected representatives have a set way of doing things.

Apart from republicanism, what motivates you in politics?

Politics for me is about people and delivering for communities, particularly the most vulnerable in society. It is totally unacceptable that in 21st century Ireland many pensioners are forced to live in a single room in their home because they cannot afford to heat the rest of the house. I have always viewed my political work as a vocation – about bettering the lives of others rather than oneself – and I think that Sinn Féin’s policy of giving all our fulltime workers an average industrial wage, is reflective of that. North Antrim is the constituency furthest from the border and unionists have focused on building its links with Scotland.

How is your party’s North/South agenda relevant to the area?

Our all-Ireland policies are especially relevant to people living in North Antrim. This constituency is well-known for itstourist attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-rede rope bridge, and it is vitally important that the island is marketed as a tourist destination on an all-island basis to ensure that foreign visitors, who mainly arrive via Dublin, do make the journey to the North Coast.

What is the most important thing you hope to achieve by the time of the next election?

By the time of the next election our team would hope to have improved the quality of life for as many of our constituents as possible. I would like to see policing and justice powers, and fiscal control, devolved to local politicians. British direct rule Ministers’ reaction to the public’s call for the scrapping of 50 per cent remission for sex offenders was woeful and underlines the need for local politicians to take responsibility for policing and justice. Local politicians would be much more likely to put in place an all-island corporation tax.

Can you tell us a bit about your international work in Cuba, Palestine and the Basque Country? How does this tie in to your political career?

I think it is beneficial to experience other cultures and some of the countries I have been to in recent years have aspects which we can learn from. Whilst by no means perfect, Cuba does manage to deliver for its citizens in health and education in a way that would put many Western countries to shame. Working in the Basque Country (Euskal Herria) and Palestine was very much related to conflict resolution which unfortunately looks some way off in both cases. Working in the Palestinian West Bank was effectively working in a war zone and we were present on a number of occasions when the Israeli Army went into and attacked Palestinian communities, sometimes with fatal results. Until Palestinians are given even basic human rights there will be little progress made in resolving the conflict there.

What do you do to relax?

I would go to the gym fairly regularly and find that it’s a good way to unwind after sitting behind a desk all day. Days at the office can sometimes be over 12 hours long so it’s important to maintain a good level of fitness and keep energy levels up. Aside from that I like to listen to music of all kinds, from Christy Moore to the Kings of Leon, and would attend the occasional concert or festival. I like to strum a guitar from time to time as well but haven’t made the time to do so in a long time unfortunately. Apart from that, I like to do a bit of travelling from time to time, and enjoy watching a good hurling match.

It’s one year on from Sinn Féin’s decision to support policing. What has been the reaction so far among the republicans you represent?

The party took its seats on the Policing Board just over eight months ago and we have made it clear that we are there to deliver accountable policing and civic policing where the police service works with and listens to the communities which it serves. Policing is an emotional issue for many republicans, given the history of policing in this state, but republicans know that Sinn Féin will work to deliver in regard to policing and that we will not become part of the status quo when engaging with these policing structures.

What has been the highlight of your work as an MLA so far?

If I was to highlight one achievement, in terms of constituency work, it would be the completion of road safety improvements in the Glenravel area. A young GAA player was killed on a bad stretch of road here on New Year’s Day in 2007, and since then we completed a petition in the area calling on Roads Service to take action. Lobbying was carried out by local community groups too, and late last year extensive work began to introduce a new footpath and safety barriers. It may seem a minor piece of work to some, but to people in the area, it means a lot that something has finally been done to improve road safety here.

What is your ultimate ambition?

Politically speaking I would like to see a united sovereign republic established on this island where politicians, and thus the people, have total control of their own affairs. People in the North are already seeing the benefits of devolution, and the transfer of all powers from the British government to Ireland will reap further benefits for the public. The cost savings that would be made from having one government on such a small island, especially when you do away with the duplication of two health systems, two education systems etc. would be colossal and could be used to better the quality of life for everyone living on the island.