“The imminent collapse of the Stormont regime further underlines the inherent corruption and sectarianism that lies at the heart of the entire project. The Six-County statelet is once more exposed as an unworkable, unreformable, and undemocratic entity. The election which is likely to follow will simply see a return of the two sectarian power blocs, the Provisonals and the DUP. Both are playing to their own narrow sectarian agendas.

On December 23 the DUP decided to withdraw £50,000 funding from the Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme, used by children from disadvantaged areas to fund trips to the Donegal Gaeltacht. The President of Comhaltas Uladh of Conradh na Gaelige, Dr Niall Comer called the move a “blatant act of discrimination.” For the DUP, it was a signal to their own supporters that nothing had changed, the message was unmistakable: “Croppy lie down”. At the same time the DUP agreed a grant of £250,000 to Orange marching bands.

All of this was designed to divert attention from the fact that the DUP leader Arlene Foster had presided over the Renewable Heating Initiative scheme, resulting in the loss of £490 million of public monies. This from a regime that is presiding over the implementation of severe British Tory Government cuts in public services such as health and education. What is playing out now is nothing more than crude jockeying for position between the big sectarian parties.

Nothing will change as it in the interests of both the Provos and the DUP to keep the Stormont gravy train rolling on. The only losers once more will be the working class of the Six Counties, Protestant and Catholic, as it is their communities that will be relentlessly ravaged by the austerity cuts the political class at Stormont will continue to implement on behalf of their political masters in Westminster.

We once more point to Éire Nua as a truly democratic alternative to this ongoing “carnival of reaction”. Éire Nua provides the basis for a pluralist and democratic Ireland in which the social, political, and economic decisions are made by the Irish people themselves. Éire Nua offers real empowerment to all sections of the Irish people in contrast to the ongoing corruption, economic inequality, and sectarianism which is all that Stormont has to offer.”

Críoch/Ends

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Republican Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin Poblachtach

Web: http://www.rsf.ie
E-Mail: saoirse@iol.ie

Sinn Féin Poblachtach
Teach Dáithí Ó Conaill,
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For confirmation contact;
Des Dalton, President: 086-3291809
Seán Ó Dubhláin, PRO: +353 89 481 9514 or ‘pro@rsf.ie’
Ard-Oifig: 01-872 9747

International Department: international@rsf.ie