'Get back to consensus building' governments told
The British and Irish governments were today urged to abandon their “concession of the weak” approach to the democratic Unionists or Sinn Féin in the the North's peace process.
In a hard hitting attack on both parties, nationalist SDLP leader, Mark Durkan, told his party’s annual conference in Belfast that the DUP and Sinn Féin could potentially form a voluntary coalition devolved government at Stormont under terms agreed last December in negotiations with the wo governments.
And he said he would tell the governments in London and Dublin they needed to get back to the consensus building approach among all parties in the North which helped forge the Good Friday agreement in 1998.
“When we meet the two governments later this month, our message will be clear: get on with the agreement,” the Foyle MP said.
“Drop the concession of the weak approach that has undermined confidence so badly.
“Get back to the consensus building approach.
“That gave us the agreement in the first place and offers the only credible basis for taking it forward now. Now is the time to start the count down to restoration (of devolution).”
Mr Durkan said if anyone was in doubt that the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly and power sharing executive and the reimposition of Direct Rule from Westminster hurts, they were under no illusions now.
With water charges on the horizon, education cuts biting, funding for business start-ups dropped and a massive rates rise planned for next year, he insisted there needed to be a swift resumption of devolution.
“We have never pretended that devolution is a theme park for soft options,” the SDLP leader said.
“But we absolutely believe – whatever the limits, whatever the pressures - that our own power sharing administration would produce better choices for better reasons.”
