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However much we rejoiced at Christmas and wished each other
a Happy New Year the political situation here was, and remains,
exceeding unsatisfactory. The treatment of Northern Ireland
by the Direct Rule Secretary of State, Peter Hain, and the
ministers of the Northern Ireland Office has been condemned,
and from many sources. There is no end to the problems readily
recognisable to all of us. They include the Assembly and its
future; the controversies over water, hospitals and education;
and the determination of the ministers to do what the Government
sees as the essential to devolved Government, a DUP and Sinn
Fein sharing in that administration. Unionists are not ready
to take that step until they have reason to know that Sinn
Fein has met the demands on it for the total rejection of
violence and all criminal activity associated with it; accepted
the PSNI, as the law-keepers of Northern Ireland, and honoured
its commitment to a truly peaceful society. There can be no
progress until there is trust that republicans are no longer
using the devious means which have gained for them so many
concessions from a most accommodating Tony Blair and Peter
Hain. There are so many unresolved problems facing the country
that the future is far from promising, though we retain the
capacity to hope, for there is evidence that Government attitudes
can be changed under pressures from parties here, the Tories
and Liberal Democrats, and that is being made apparent in
the new and better thinking on-the-runs legislation. We emphasise
again our thinking on Direct Rule as being the wrong way to
govern here, and we want an agreeable, acceptable and proper
devolved administration. We commend every effort being made
by our politicians to attain that end. The changes in education
and local government, which are anticipated, are going to
affect the lives of many people. The expectations of forced
redundancies and unemployment for those affected by new situations,
is a fearsome prospect for society as a whole. We are aware
of the fact that the present position in local government
is not sustainable for reasons that need no spelling out.
Our concern is that what has been planned by government and
agreed by Sinn Fein is too drastic. Local councils need to
be sized more in keeping with the needs of the people so as
to guarantee adequate representation everywhere. The fact
is that the present size and cost of many public bodies is
adversely affecting the economy of the country. When money
goes in one direction it can not go in another. And the need
for a better spread of the resources available to us compels
redirection of the money available for our use. We must have
better balance in what we do and future plans must show better
stewardship than we have had until now. To say this is not
to deny that many good things are happening here. The evidence
of achievement and success are obvious in what is to be seen
before our very eyes. That means we have the potentials to
make this the good country we want it to be. It is essential
to think positively, in spite of the negatives, at such a
time as this.
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