“It’s time for Sinn Féin to give up on this failing Assembly”

It’s been almost weeks since we have had a call to collapse the Assembly. It’s no secret that Brian Feeney is not a fan of our beleaguered ruling class. Writing in today’s Irish News, he has this to say:

Michelle O’Neill said Sinn Féin is up for reform of the structures, but the DUP will block any reform, which anyway couldn’t happen before next year’s election. Do you seriously believe the DUP would cooperate with any reform? Fundamentally, Sinn Féin underestimates the DUP’s fear and loathing of them, which is manifest in the constant sniping, blocking, nastiness, contempt, obstruction, resistance, ill-will.

O’Neill’s attempts to be a ‘First Minister for all’ by attending both republican commemorations and British commemorations, like Armistice Day or royal funerals, are spurned and dismissed. There is no reciprocation, no acknowledgement, no credit given.

What Sinn Féin call their ‘base’ notices all this and the perpetual, relentless attacks on any manifestation of Irishness and grow anxious for senior Sinn Féin figures to hit back. It seems all one-way traffic. Why is there no-one on the media to hit back? What does docility achieve?

More importantly, what is the strategy? Where does it all lead? What is the use of going back into the Stormont arrangements again in 2027 when they don’t deliver on anything?

My issue with Stormont is a variation on the fundamental basis of medical ethics. “First, do no harm”. I think Stormont is not just useless but making our society worse. They are getting in the way or deliberately blocking reforms and actively harming us. The only sensible option for this place is a joint rule technocracy. We need Chief Executives of Public Services who just get on with the task without being constant political footballs. 

Brian O'Neill

Managing Editor of Slugger O’Toole. I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism; I am not a member of any political party. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.