THE SDLP has accused DUP chairman Lord Morrow of letting the “cat out of the political bag” after he said in the Assembly yesterday that the DUP’s aim is to suspend or even abolish the North-South Ministerial Council and to see the “demise” of the Belfast Agreement.
Lord Morrow, in arguing against the usefulness of the council – viewed as a key plank of the Belfast Agreement for nationalists because of its North-South dimension – also told the Assembly that it was “highly unlikely the Southern economy will survive”.
Lord Morrow made his comments during debate on the DUP motion calling on the Northern Executive to consider whether the North-South Ministerial Council was of any value to the people of Northern Ireland.
SDLP and Sinn Féin speakers initially dismissed the motion as an attempt by the DUP to play political hardball in advance of the European elections. It was a tactic to see off the challenge of Traditional Unionist Voice MEP Jim Allister, they said.
But in winding up the debate Lord Morrow made clear he wanted the body suspended or possibly abolished. “One must ask the question, why under the living sun should it survive, and in particular in this economic climate in which we are in?” he asked.
“Economically there would be a good reason why this North-South stuff shouldn’t continue. At least suspend it for a while until we get the country up and going again economically and demonstrate to the people at large that this waste will not continue,” he said.
Lord Morrow also contended that the Irish Government could not afford the cost of the council. “Since the demise of the Celtic Tiger things have changed dramatically.
“In fact they are not going to be the same any more and we hear a lot of bleating now from across the Border because people find it difficult to live, and to pay the unaffordable expenses and prices that they are asked to and escape that virtual bankruptcy,” he said.
“I am not saying that with any malice but saying it simply because that is what the economists tell us, and it is highly unlikely that the Southern economy will survive,” he added.
Sinn Féin MLA John O’Dowd asked Lord Morrow how the DUP was “going to suspend, stop or cancel” the council because he should realise that under the Belfast Agreement that was not possible.
“Our hand is not in the Belfast Agreement. That is not our work and so therefore we have responsibilities to bring its demise about, and we will,” said Lord Morrow.
