Given the relative success of the plastic bag levy in reducing the number of plastic bags used by shoppers could the same approach be taken to the flying of flags in Northern Ireland as well?
Even if a levy on flags failed to curtail the practice of flying flags from lamp posts then at least the levy would provide the requisite funding to pay for the removal of the tattered remnants.
Or, the levy could fund professional crews to erect lamp standards and flags along parade routes and then to take them down in the aftermath.
BERNARD J MULHOLLAND
Belfast BT9
‘Fresh Start’ blocked all-out Tory attack on the vulnerable
Denise Johnston (December 8) continues the SDLP tradition of employing innuendo and negativity to compensate for its lack of creditable alternative policies.
For a party so exercised about the process adopted to address the welfare issue almost 50 per cent of its MLAs couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to vote when it came before the assembly.
Where are the party’s proposed protections against the decimation of our block grant, our public services and assaults on the vulnerable by a right-wing, ideologically driven Tory government in London?
The party claimed to have proposals for prosperity. Where are they? They wanted welfare to be dealt with through accelerated passage over 24 hours. They agreed a welfare package in December 2014 with no mitigation mechanisms. Does Denise honestly believe that this is how best to protect the vulnerable?
But as Martin McGuinness said: “Why bother presenting credible alternatives when you can just attack Sinn Féin?”
Would Denise rather that we had destabilised the power-sharing institutions, with the consequence of immediate direct rule and all that would entail in terms of unrestrained Tory austerity – unmitigated welfare cuts, water charges, hikes in student fees and an end to free domiciliary care, pensioners travel and prescriptions.
Sinn Féin was not prepared to inflict that on our people. Instead we negotiated a package of measures including an extra half a billion pounds in new money and also additional flexibilities to invest in public services and the economy.
We agreed a technical measure whereby the welfare legislation going through Westminster with the consent of the assembly would save the Executive £40m which will be invested in our public services. We also had included a sunset clause built in to the legislation which will ensure full welfare powers return to Stormont in 2016.
Denise also misrepresents the situation with regards legacy issues. Legacy issues were not concluded on in the agreement because the British Government insisted on a ‘national security’ veto that would have prevented truth being disclosed to the families of victims. They ruled out any prospect of this being resolved when they rejected reasonable proposals by Sinn Féin.
The British Government’s intransigent position was not acceptable to victims’ groups and was therefore not acceptable to Sinn Féin. But Sinn Féin rather than play politics with the issue remain absolutely committed to representing the needs of victims and to holding the British Government to account for their actions.
Like all agreements this one is not perfect and should be scrutinised. But it also needs to be seen in the context from which it emerged – a backdrop of economic and political crisis created by Tory austerity policies, electoral competition within unionism and the failure of the British and Irish governments to live up to commitments made in previous agreements.
Like all the other parties Sinn Féin faced a choice in the negotiations – show leadership and work to get the best deal possible or abandon our people to the ideological whims of Tory millionaires in Whitehall. We weren’t prepared to hand back total control to direct rule ministers.
CONOR MURPHY MLA
Sinn Féin Economy Spokesperson
Time for Executive to get real on the economy
The executive has no serious vision or plan for the Northern Ireland economy and our current infrastructure is not fitting for a modern 21st century economy.
Commuters and small businesses suffer daily bottlenecks on the Sydenham bypass and York Road on the Westlink. With extra money for capital spending from the British chancellor’s autumn statement these projects must start now. A project to remove the traffic lights and improve that junction at Dee Street was approved in 2009.
With the extra money this must be given immediate priority.
The Executive has a disastrous record in delaying capital investment in infrastructure. They have let us down by pushing vanity projects such as the A5 and the Carlingford bridge and failing to deliver on the likes of the Police College. This extra money from George Osborne is their opportunity to ‘get real’ in prioritising infrastructure and competitiveness.
The Conservative government has confirmed significant real-terms increases to Northern Ireland Executive capital budgets. Funding available for infrastructure investment via the block grant through to 2020-21 will rise by 12 per cent in real terms, meaning more than £600m more for roads, etc.
The Executive must now act decisively. Construction has suffered hugely during the recession compounded by the dysfunctional Executive at Stormont. Spending money on construction will help tackle competitiveness problems like high energy and transport costs which cost us so many manufacturing jobs and prevent more foreign direct investment.
We need a pipeline of projects and a timetable and costed plan on how to use this money over the next five years.
JOHNNY ANDREWS
NI Conservatives
Bangor, Co Down
Same old SDLP just a fresh face
As a young nationalist I have a keen interest in our politics, unlike a lot of my peers and I can’t blame them. I was looking forward to seeing how the SDLP would regroup after electing a new leader.
I read Colum Eastwood’s article in The Irish News (November 27) and I agree Sinn Féin made a shambles of how they went about justifying the ‘fresh start’ deal. Their actions contrary to what they where saying for most of the year.
As I read the words of the new leader of the SDLP I was saddened to see the same old words. He just jumped on the anti-Sinn Féin bandwagon. It was just anti-Sinn Féin for most of the article. Colum wrote about Sinn Féin’s so-called failures, how good they are at lying but the reality was there was never going to be a good deal from a Tory government.
The other reality is these talks wouldn’t have been as tense only the unionists couldn’t tell if they where coming or going. So majority rule hands the powers back to the English because unionism is having an identity crises.
Instead of telling us about what sort of job Sinn Féin are doing, how about focusing on your own party and try and win votes rather than slating another party. Same SDLP just a fresh face.
C LOUGHRAN
Clady, Co Derry
Scourge of Islamist terror
The latest attack in Leytonstone Tube Station, London, in which three innocent people were stabbed by an assailant who reportedly shouted “This is for Syria” has continued to impress upon people that the scourge of Islamist terror is still an everyday reality on the streets of Europe.
A passerby was heard saying, “You ain’t no Muslim, bruv”.
Whether this comment was meant to chide the attacker for his motives or a defence of Islam as a religion/ideology, the fact remains, the attacker was a Muslim, and this is the common denominator in the majority of such terror attacks, whether we like to admit it or not. Not every Muslim is a suicide bomber but sadly every suicide bomber has proven to be a Muslim. The facts speak for themselves. Many governments in Europe still seem to be in denial of this reality.
COLIN NEVIN
Bangor, Co Down
