SF Deputy Mayor of Newry and Mourne meets with TD's
Published: 7 July, 2006
Deputy Mayor of Newry and Mourne Council discusses all-Ireland issues with Sinn Féin TD's
The recently elected Vice-Mayor of Newry and Mourne Council, Cllr Martin Connolly, met recently with party colleagues Arthur Morgan TD, Seán Crowe TD and Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD when they paid a visit to South Down. Speaking after meeting with his party colleagues Cllr Connolly said it was vital for counties which straddle the border that Strand Two of the Good Friday Agreement was fully implemented.
"The importance of an all-Ireland economy has been stressed by both the Northern Secretary, Peter Hain, who sees it as the only feasible way forward and An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern who believes the "opportunities are boundless." Words from the two governments are not enough and need to be matched by actions and the unionist parties, if they are serious about ensuring the long term prosperity of the six counties, need to play their part in developing an all-Ireland economy.
"As administrations North and South of the border gear up for a period of sustained infrastructural development, with a budget of over €90 billion, we need to co-ordinate this spending on an island basis.
"As the only all-Ireland party Sinn Féin is ideally placed to lobby for greater north/south co-operation. My party colleague Caitríona Ruane has been working closely with North Louth TD Arthur Morgan on funding for a link bridge at Narrow Water near Warrenpoint, a flagship project that has the potential to rejuvenate this entire region and an area which has been largely neglected by both the British and Irish Governments.
"The decline of the fishing industry here in the north can be attributed in part to the lack of priority given to it by British Direct Rule Ministers and I am convinced if we dealt with this issue on an all-Ireland basis a better deal could be struck for fishing communities in places like Kilkeel, Annalong, Ardglass and Portavogie. A single all-Ireland approach to sustaining and developing this vitally important industry is what is clearly needed.
"Transport has also suffered from the twin problems of rural neglect and the building of two separate networks and whilst a good deal of lip service has been paid to the development of a linked up road and rail network, tangible commitments are few.
"Finally there is the growing problem of uneven economic development on the island where rural Ireland has been bypassed in favour of investing resources and opportunities in the major urban centres. In the Six Counties this has been part of a policy of discrimination against nationalists, while in the 26 Counties the plight of the west is just one of many examples of the ineptitude and ignorance of successive governments." ENDS
|
