Governments 'should press DUP on power sharing'
The British and Irish governments were today urged to press the Democratic Unionists over their attitudes to power sharing in local councils and at Stormont.
Nationalist SDLP deputy leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell and Sinn Féin chairman Mitchel McLaughlin criticised the DUP after its councillors voted last night against power sharing in Castlereagh Council, where their deputy leader, Peter Robinson, is a member.
Noting the DUP and other unionist parties’ rejection of an SDLP motion calling for the sharing of key posts on the council among parties, Dr McDonnell said: “Peter Robinson has made the DUP’s position on power-sharing very clear – they are opposed to it wherever they are in a position to cobble together a majority.
“The two governments now need to be just as clear with the DUP and ask them how they square this position with their acceptance of the fundamentals of the Good Friday Agreement at Leeds Castle.
“Power-sharing must be a fundamental by anyone’s definition, but it can’t be cherry-picked to suit any one party.
“Peter Robinson says Castlereagh doesn’t need power-sharing because it is not divided.
“This will be news to nationalists in the district, who may not know that they have lived in a enclave of peace and prosperity for the last 30 years, but it seems that the DUP definition of a non-divided community is simply one with a unionist majority.”
Ulster Unionist councillors and independent unionists last night backed a DUP amendment to a motion calling on the Reverend Ian Paisley’s party to practise power sharing.
SDLP councillor Brian Hanvey argued non unionists should be given the chance to serve as mayor, deputy mayor and committee chairs under the d’Hondt mechanism for allocating posts.
He was supported by cross community Alliance Party councillors.
However during an impassioned debate, DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson insisted his party was not a supporter of power sharing.
The East Belfast MP said it should only be deployed in certain conditions in a divided society but in this case, it was not suitable for Castlereagh.
Dr McDonnell, the SDLP Assembly member for South Belfast, said: “The two governments must now put the DUP’s commitment to power-sharing and partnership at Executive level under new scrutiny.
“That commitment must extend beyond tactical arrangements to take ministerial posts and embrace the needs of the whole community.”
Sinn Féin chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said the denial of power sharing on Castlereagh council illustrated the need for the cross community safeguards and power sharing requirements under the Good Friday Agreement.
The Foyle Assembly member said it had become increasingly clear in recent negotiations to restore the Assembly that the DUP remained fundamentally opposed to power sharing and cross-border institutions.
Mr McLaughlin said: “The rejectionist demands of the DUP are now the primary obstacle to a comprehensive agreement.
“Last night the DUP Deputy Leader illustrated this in his outright rejection of power sharing in Castlereagh Council.
“Here was an opportunity for the DUP to show some generosity and imagination. Instead we saw the domination, intolerance and exclusion which have characterised Paisleyism over the past three decades.”
Mr McLaughlin said his party would not countenance any dilution or erosion of the Good Friday Agreement.
“The two governments need to understand that there is no middle line between the protection of the Agreement and the destruction of the Agreement which the DUP seeks,” the Foyle MLA continued.
“It is the responsibility of the governments to defend the core fundamentals and principles of the Agreement and to make it clear that they cannot be changed.
“If the DUP do not accept this reality then the pro-Agreement parties, including the two governments, need to move on. The DUP cannot be allowed to paralyse the process of change.”
