Ireland's church leaders call for end to Stormont political crisis
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Version 0 of 1. The leaders of Ireland’s churches have warned that Ulster’s political crisis, which threatens to bring down the power-sharing government, is harming the poorest and most deprived of the province. Senior Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian and Church of Ireland clerics said the standoff between unionists and nationalists at Stormont was creating fear in the community. Their joint statement was issued on behalf of the head of the Methodist church in Ireland, the Rev Brian Anderson, Church of Ireland archbishop Richard Clarke, Catholic archbishop Eamon Martin, Presbyterian moderator Dr Ian McNie and Dr Donald Watts on Tuesday just before the second day of emergency negotiations aimed at preventing devolution from collapse. Northern Ireland’s power-sharing coalition between former unionist and nationalist/republican enemies has been on the brink of breakdown since the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan in mid-August. Following the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s assessment that the IRA still existed in some form and that veterans of the paramilitary group murdered McGuigan in an apparent revenge killing, one unionist party has walked out of the devolved government while another has effectively one foot out of the administration. In an appeal to local politicians to solve the crisis at the talks in Stormont House, the leading Catholic and Protestant clergymen said: “For the rising number of people struggling to cope on low incomes, the current political instability brings further anxiety. “In addition to uncertainty about the impact of welfare reform, cuts to essential public services and the failure to agree a budget for future service provision have significant implications for the most vulnerable members of our society.” They called for the restoration of hope and trust between the parties. “Threats to the peace process are most keenly felt in those areas that benefited least from the progress of recent years,” they said. “A long-term vision, which includes effective measures to address poverty and socio-economic inequality, is essential to rebuild trust and advance the work of reconciliation.” The first day of talks on Monday ended in some rancour with deputy first minister and Sinn Féin veteran negotiator Martin McGuinness challenging unionists and rival nationalist party, the Social Democratic and Labour party, “to put up or shut up” over claims the IRA was still active and engaged in criminal fundraising for his party. McGuinness said: “If anybody has any information whatsoever about any party in government being involved in criminality, then they should put it up on the table and, more importantly, they should put it to the [Police Service of Northern Ireland].” However, one of the co-chairs of the talks, the Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villers said she detected some will by the parties to end the crisis. She described Monday’s discussions as “focused and productive.” Among those attending the talks was former first minister and Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson who was only discharged from hospital less than 24 hours earlier. He had been taken into hospital on Saturday after an adverse reaction to new medication prescribed by his doctors. Robinson suffered a heart attack in May. |