Sat 3 October – Fri 9 October
No Return to the Politics of Division
SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP has renewed her call for an end to the Drumcree dispute, urging the Secretary of State to rescind permission for the parade and move the issue off the streets and into a structured process of dialogue, allowing residents of the Garvaghy Road to return to their normal lives.
Speaking on The View, SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA warned that the dispute cannot be allowed to consume the political system while the issues affecting people’s everyday lives go unaddressed.
With public services facing cuts, jobs being lost and workers potentially being forced onto picket lines while MLAs receive a pay rise, Matthew challenged Executive Ministers to get on with the job they sought a mandate to do.
The SDLP will continue to stand up for the people of Garvaghy Road and challenge those seeking to exploit this dispute for political advantage. But reopening old divisions will do nothing to pay people’s bills, protect public services or deliver the fair Budget Northern Ireland urgently needs. People deserve political leadership focused on improving their lives, not another cycle of division, distraction and instability.
You can watch Claire speaking on the issue here. You can watch Matthew’s contribution on The View here.
