Speaking of that “dysfunctional office in a dysfunctional Executive.” The Belfast Telegraph reports former Chief Constable Hugh Orde’s parting shot to the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers, complaining of “the absence of a “coherent and credible strategy” for tackling sectarian and racial hatred.” Although, David Gordon questions the value of an Executive document per se. Not our fault, says Sinn Féin, who have published “An Executive Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration” [pdf file here]. It’s just not the “Executive Programme”. And the BBC reports the DUP’s sotto voce response.
However, a DUP source insists the party’s paper bears little resemblance to a paper drawn up by officials in the first and deputy first minister’s office last October. The source said the Sinn Fein paper suggests equality is the only factor in addressing good relations, ignoring issues such as ignorance, education and prejudice. The source said the DUP had provided Sinn Fein with a framework document in July as a proposed way forward on the issue, after consultation with the Community Relations Council.
Adds And, in a speaking role, Jeffrey Donaldson.
“The policy document which Sinn Fein has launched has been approved and cleared by nobody but Sinn Fein,” he said. “Whereas the document which I am making available for public consumption has been formulated through intensive discussions over a substantial period of time not only inside OFMDFM but also, amongst the Community Relations Council, the Equality Commission and representatives of the ethnic minority community.”
I’m assuming there will be an attached document..
Discover more from Slugger O'Toole
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.
