Progress Or Cut Salaries

Commenting on Secretary of State Peter Hain’s remarks regarding a possible freeze on the salaries and expenses of MLAs, North Antrim MLA and Senior Negotiator Seán Farren said:

“It is not only Mr Hain but the electorate at large and not a few of the MLA’s themselves who don’t believe payments should continue indefinitely. There is a growing frustration and annoyance leading to cynicism amongst the general public at this unprecedented situation of representatives being remunerated when not carrying out their primary function within the Assembly.

“So while many MLA’s are working hard on behalf of their constituents this is not the principal work for which they were elected. That primary responsibility was to take charge of the government of Northern Ireland, to use that responsibility to promote the economy, to create new partnerships across all sections of our communities and encourage efforts reconciliation throughout Ireland.

“The next few months must see clear movement towards restoring our political institutions so that that work can recommence. To make that movement confidence must be built on all sides that promises and commitments made will be fulfilled to the letter.

“Sinn Féin must realise the huge damage done when the IRA delayed its decommissioning and continued to engage in gun-running and in spying activities.

“With decommissioning now completed confidence must be built that there will be no return to any form of criminal or paramilitary activity and that firm commitments will be made to fully participate in policing when restoration is achieved. Any prevarication on these commitments would have the very same undermining effect as prevarication on decommissioning had.

“Unionists must demonstrate firm commitments to partnership within the North and to North-South cooperation in the manner laud down in the Good Friday Agreement. The North-South arrangements were essential so that constitutional changes could be made by the people of the South. There can be no going back on these arrangements as many in the DUP would seem to demand.

“Partnership between parties in the North will have to mean the DUP abandoning its Ballymena Council type attitudes and fully embracing the need to work with all parties on a basis on equality and fairness for all.

“These are the clear and simple conditions that must be met for progress to take place. Failure to meet these conditions will not only mean a loss of salaries but the loss of a great opportunity to build a future together right across Northern Ireland.”