The Social Democrats have called for the North\u2019s Civic Forum to be reconstituted as a way to give voice to people left behind by the peace process.<\/p>\n
The party\u2019s co-leader R\u00f3is\u00edn Shortall TD said the consultative forum of civil society and community groups could serve as a counterbalance to the \u2018green and orange\u2019 straitjacket of Stormont.<\/p>\n
Deputy Shortall made her remarks tonight during a D\u00e1il debate on Northern Ireland. She said:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Social Democrats recently published our Northern Ireland policy. While we accept the Good Friday<\/span><\/span> Agreement and the associated suite of agreements will remain the cornerstone of Northern Ireland policy, a fundamental rethink of the type of governance is urgently required. Stormont is stale, the model of power-sharing that was agreed in 1998 is dysfunctional and the voices of those who wish to move beyond the \u2018orange and green\u2019 divide are systematically excluded.<\/p>\n Deputy Shortall said that, in many ways, the status quo of direct rule suits everybody.<\/p>\n \u201cSinn F\u00e9in can appear to be \u2018whiter than white\u2019 in pushing their requests, the DUP can revert to their \u2018Never-Never-Never\u2019 position and the British and Irish Governments can retreat to their minimalist hands off approach to the impasse. The Social Democrats believe that these positions are unacceptable. They are a betrayal of the principals of the GFA, they are incompatible with the roles of the two governments as co-guarantors of the agreement and they are a disservice to the people of Northern Ireland at a time of great political uncertainty with Brexit looming.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Social Democrats believe that an enhanced Civic Forum, as originally constituted in 1998 is the one element of the deal that could force the parties back to the table. The Civic Forum, as a counterbalance to the \u2018green and orange\u2019 straightjacket of Stormont would serve as a voice for those who the peace-process has left behind, those groups that find themselves marginalised by the very nature of powersharing but continue to work for the community, women\u2019s organisations, those fighting for LGBT rights, community groups and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n ENDS<\/p>\n