Allister 'dismayed' at SF portfolios
Unionists will be alarmed that Sinn Féin will be in charge again of education in the next Stormont government, a former DUP member claimed today.
Independent unionist MEP Jim Allister, who quit the party last week after Ian Paisley struck a deal for devolution on May 8 with Gerry Adams, also expressed his dismay that Sinn Féin had secured the agriculture portfolio in the next power sharing government.
“Unionists and all citizens caring about the future of our children have good reason to fear the return of Sinn Féin to continue its past pillage of our education system,” the MEP said.
“Now, agriculture too is to be subjected to the Sinn Féin treatment.
“Our primary industry, the agri-food industry, has enough problems without suffering under Sinn Féin’s anti-business and Marxist agenda, most likely to be targeted against medium and large farmers.”
The North’s four government parties chose their ministries at a meeting in Stormont yesterday.
The new administration will be jointly headed by the DUP leader, Mr Paisley, as First Minister and Sinn Féin’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness as Deputy First Minister.
The DUP also secured the finance, economy, environment and culture portfolios in the incoming executive.
Sinn Féin ministers will take charge of three government departments - education, regional development and agriculture.
Mr McGuinness was Minister for Education in the previous devolved government which was suspended in 2002.
The Ulster Unionists will have two ministries – health and employment and learning.
The nationalist SDLP will have just one minister at social development.
Sinn Féin also announced MPs Conor Murphy and Michelle Gildernew and MLAs Caitriona Ruane and Gerry Kelly would serve in the next Stormont government.
However Mr Adams would not indicate which one of the four would take the junior minister’s post in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister.
The parties are due to meet at Stormont today to decide who will be the chairs and deputy chairs of the Assembly committees scrutinising devolved ministers.
There is speculation the DUP may nominate East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson as the chair of the education committee to act as a watchdog for the Sinn Fein minister.
Sinn Féin is believed to be keen to chair the Public Accounts Committee.
