Sir, - Inquiries have been made of the New Ireland Group as to whether it might consider Joining a loose coalition to stand in the forthcoming election. For all the talk of independents and small groups being encouraged to stand in the election the backward move away from PR-STV voting and the most unusual use of a list system combine to make it more rather than less difficult for small parties and groups to reflect a truly democratic representation of the people's viewpoints.
The New Ireland Group's identification with a specific programme of a coalition would require that other members of such a coalition as well as the public at large are aware of what the NIG stands for and that they know the position from which we come and the direction in which we trust, in time, the people of Northern Ireland will go.
Our aims are: The attainment of a new Ireland through negotiation by creating through dialogue and persuasion, a just, caring and non sectarian society, requiring the establishment of a new pluralist constitution embracing the whole of Ireland containing a bill of rights in line with the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and with acceptable safeguards for minorities, achieving, through consensus, equitable, progressive and participatory forms of government at all levels, recognising and promoting the right of free expression of all cultures and traditions within Ireland and actively encouraging interaction between them.
Our role is: (1) To provide a forum and support for those who seek political reconciliation in Ireland by encouraging the revival of the radical dissenting tradition in Ulster Protestantism; challenging all opinions and practices which promote sectarian domination in any part of Ireland.
(2) To promote awareness and responsibility at local community level for all matters affecting the health, enterprise and esteem of the people by encouraging the development of decentralised forms of government and democracy so that all citizens may become directly involved in effective decision making where they live and where they work; supporting radical new proposals to overcome poverty and other social injustice; considering proposals required to meet the challenge of high technology with regard to work and employment; promoting a healthy unpolluted environment throughout Ireland with respect for global ecology.
(3) To promote and encourage the development of democracy based on consensus as the alternative to majoritarianism and to develop the means by which consensus can be achieved. - Yours, etc., on behalf of the Executive Panel, New Ireland Group,
Charlotte Street,
Ballymoney,
Co Antrim.