SDLP plan opponents 'arguing for direct rule'

Opponents of the SDLP’s plan for a team of civic administrators to run government departments in Northern Ireland in the absence of devolution are really arguing for direct rule from Westminster, party leader Mark Durkan claimed today.

The former Stormont Deputy First Minister told Derry’s chamber of commerce that opponents of the plan were afraid that the administrators, who would be nominated by the British and Irish governments and drawn from all walks of life, would actually prove to be too good at the job.

The Foyle Assembly member, who is involved in a do-or-die contest with Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin to hang on to the SDLP’s Westminster seat in the constituency, said: “Our proposals are for the end of suspension and the restoration of all the institutions.

“People will then have six weeks to appoint an inclusive executive. If things happen to allow the parties to do so, well and good.

“Sadly, in reality they won’t. And when they don’t we should not think back into deep suspension nor have the Assembly just scrutinising direct rule.

“Instead we keep the Assembly, with all its legislative, budgetary and other powers under the Agreement.

“We protect the executive power model of the Agreement and prevent direct rule, by having the two governments nominate ten people from all walks of life - not civil servants – to administer the departments and to look after the business of the executive, fully accountable to the fully functioning Assembly.”

The SDLP leader, who lodged his nomination papers for the General Election in Derry today accompanied by the outgoing MP John Hume, said North-South bodies would come off their care and maintenance status with the restoration of the Assembly.

The civic administrators would operate as ministers of the Assembly, enabling the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council to function as they were originally intended.

He explained: “The civic administration panel would not only be nominated by the two governments, after consultation, but would have to be approved by the Assembly in a cross-community vote.

“So our proposals are not for a super quango, mandarin rule or unaccountable government. The 108 elected MLAs would be doing the job they are meant to do and the North-South arrangements can do the job they need to do.

“The Assembly then faces a choice. Vote them in and get as much of the Agreement up and running as we can. Or vote them out and accept deep suspension.

“That puts it up to the parties and exposes them. In public they have to show whether they are on for the peace and progress that the people of Ireland voted for or whether what they really want is stalemate, suspension and runaway direct rule.

“The reality is those who argue against our proposals argue for suspension and British direct rule.”