{"id":26062,"date":"2022-05-02T09:17:46","date_gmt":"2022-05-02T13:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26062"},"modified":"2022-05-02T09:17:49","modified_gmt":"2022-05-02T13:17:49","slug":"political-leaders-in-the-north-clash-during-televised-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=26062","title":{"rendered":"Political Leaders In The North Clash During Televised Debate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The party leaders take part in the UTV debate (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Northern Ireland\u2019s political leaders have clashed over the potential for a Border poll, post-Brexit trading arrangements and the cost-of-living crisis during a televised pre-election debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn F\u00e9in vice-president Michelle O\u2019Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie took part in the UTV election debate ahead of Thursday\u2019s Assembly poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following opening statements from the leaders, Ms O\u2019Neill was asked about an article in the Sunday Times which stated that Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s chairperson Declan Kearney had made contact with Saoradh, a group accused of having links to the New IRA, about a potential \u201cco-operation agreement\u201d over achieving a Border poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New IRA is the dissident republican group linked to the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, who died after being struck by a bullet during rioting in the Creggan area of Derry in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms O\u2019Neill said: \u201cNo gang who is involved in criminality, armed action, should exist today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDeclan Kearney, as the chairperson of our party, has reached out to those people to say that they must now work towards unity and changing the constitutional position, but only by consent, only by the public working together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Donaldson said that Sinn F\u00e9in had been trying to hide the fact that \u201ctheir number one priority is to push for a Border poll\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cThis election is a clear choice between our five-point plan, which is about tackling the issues which really matter to the people out there or Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s divisive Border poll.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Eastwood said more focus should be placed on the cost-of-living crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Referring to Saoradh, he said: \u201cThose people will not be involved with me in trying to build a new Ireland, they have nothing to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Beattie said there had been no movement in the polls towards a united Ireland since 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cThe reality is we are not going anywhere near it and there won\u2019t be a Border poll either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Long said the Assembly election was not a referendum on the Border question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cWhen it comes to engaging with paramilitary organizations, the only conversation we should be having with them is when they are going to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussion then turned to the Northern Ireland Protocol and the DUP decision to collapse the Stormont power-sharing Executive earlier this year in protest at the post-Brexit trading arrangement which unionists see as a Border in the Irish Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Donaldson said: \u201cI hope there will be a Stormont government again but what we need to do is build a durable, stable political institution at Stormont.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe protocol is casting its long shadow over the political process in Northern Ireland, it is undermining political stability. No unionist supports this protocol, and we need to get back to the politics of consensus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Long responded: \u201cThe DUP had a huge amount of influence during the Brexit process

Kup Cipro bez recepty<\/a><\/p> , and we ended up with the protocol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhatever about the protocol and its difficulties, we can\u2019t stop having government simply because people don\u2019t like particular aspects of politics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Beattie said that the only way to deal with challenges presented by the protocol was through engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cWithdrawing yourself to a corner simply doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms O\u2019Neill urged the other party leaders to join her in forming a new Executive on the first day after the Stormont election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cI am ready to turn up on day one, let\u2019s have a party leaders\u2019 discussion, let\u2019s form an executive and do the business for the public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Eastwood said the DUP decision to walk away from the Executive meant that \u00a3300 million (\u20ac357 million) of Stormont funds cannot be spent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added: \u201cEven people who are out working are coming home and not able to turn their heating on, that is a disgrace in today\u2019s world and Stormont has been sitting on its hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sir Jeffrey responded: \u201cThere is an Executive, there are ministers in place, the Executive simply isn\u2019t meeting. The \u00a3300 million has been carried over, it will be spent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms O\u2019Neill accused the DUP leader of being \u201cabsolutely dishonest\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said: \u201cThere is no Executive, we do not have an Executive because the DUP walked away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are things that an Executive can do. Jeffrey is not telling the public if he is going to come in with the rest of us and put money into people\u2019s pockets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Long said ministers had received clear legal advice that they could not take measures to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis in Northern Ireland without an Executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cWe have plans how we could spend that money, but we can\u2019t do it without an Executive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Beattie said: \u201cAll of us have failed people \u2013 \u00a3300 million wouldn\u2019t fix all the problems, but it would give them money in their pockets in the short term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe need to look at what other things we can do in the short term. What we need to do is fix this for the people.\u201d<\/p>\n

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