DUP’s credibility damaged – Allister
10 October 2008
Responding to Peter Robinson’s admission that Northern Ireland’s credibility has been damaged by terrorist inclusive devolution Traditional Unionist MEP Jim Allister said:
“I welcome Peter Robinson’s belated admission that Belfast Agreement devolution is damaging the credibility of Northern Ireland on the international stage. The root cause of this is mandatory coalition. This is why Sinn Fein/IRA have a perpetual place in the government of our Province. Sadly, this was conceded to them by Mr Robinson’s party. And because government in Northern Ireland post-St Andrews operates on the basis of mutual vetoes Republicans can, as we have seen, bring the whole business of government to a shuddering halt.
“It is high time for the DUP to face up to the reality that mandatory coalition has failed. Their partners in Sinn Fein/IRA are not in the business of bring good government to a state they do not even believe should exist. Rather they wish to portray Northern Ireland as a “failed political entity”. Quite apart from the fact that it is deeply immoral to have unrepentant gangsters in your government, the current system seems completely unable to deliver coherent government.
“In May 2007 Ian Paisley jur boasted that, “The days of Sinn Fein holding the process and the institutions to ransom are gone.” This is patently not the case. Thus it is not just Northern Ireland’s credibility which is damaged but the DUP’s.”
