Sinn Fein are trying in vain to play catch-up with Alliance on a shared future

Alliance Party Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA, has stated that Sinn Fein are trying to catch up with the Alliance Party following Martin McGuinness’s comments that he wants to have peace lines removed. Kieran McCarthy said that Sinn Fein have a long way to go to prove to local people that these are not simply empty words. He also stated that Alliance is the only party committed to ending segregation and creating a genuinely shared future.

The Strangford Assembly Member said: “Martin McGuinness’s comments on the removal of peace walls were but empty words, said during yesterday’s Sinn Fein publicity stunt on reaching out to unionists.

“If Martin McGuinness’s words are to be taken seriously, Sinn Fein must commit to ending segregation in all areas of Northern Ireland society.

“Currently, a Berlin Wall of segregation exists in many of our public services. These barriers must be removed to create the shared future that people want and deserve.

“Alliance has estimated that one billion pounds is wasted every year on segregation. We need to cut out this waste to free up cash to provide better services for local people.

“Yesterday, we led the battle in the Assembly for the introduction of free personal care for older people – if the Executive worked to end segregation now, we could provide free care very quickly instead of waiting for years, like the Health Minister Michael McGimpsey wants us to.”

ENDS