One of a series of meetings taking place across the north, last Thursday's events was attended by party leader, Gerry Adams MP, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Bairbre de Brún MEP, and Policing Board members Daithi McKay as well as the party's assembly members, Francie Molloy, Michelle O'Neill and Mitchel McLaughlin.

The high powered panel fielded questions from party activists and members of the public on a range of issues.
Hailing the meeting a huge success, the party's Slaughtneil based councillor, Kate McEldowney said 'a crucial element of Sinn Féin's political strategy is ensuring that people have a real sense of ownership of the political process.'

She added: "Thursday nights successful meeting at The Elk provided the nationalist and republican community across rural counties Derry and Antrim, as well as those working in the community and voluntary sector with an opportunity to come along and robustly debate the real issues of the day.

"Planning in terms of keeping our rural communities vibrant, policing and justice in relation to community safety as well as important issues such as autism and the rights of disabled people as well as sheltered accomodation for older people were some of the concerns raised by the audience and addressed by the Sinn Féin leadership panel.

'It was important that the wider nationalist and republican community came together at this time to allow the maximum participation and debate on important socio-economic issues as well as the big political issues facing us.

"Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness left the audience in no doubt that their commitment to the achievement of republican objectives remain the same today as it has always been during he course of their stewardship of the republican struggle - the establishment of a 32 county independent Irish republic which guarantees equality and prosperity for all our people.

"Thursday nights meeting has left our hard working party activists across the county reinvigorated and confident that our republican objectives will be met.

"We fully appreciate the messages of hope for the future and the confidence placed in us that were given from the audience on the night."