SDLP campaign pays dividends for all the people of Ireland

ONCE again, the enormous efforts the SDLP have made to ensure that North-South issues are at the heart of government policy in Dublin and London have paid dividends, with the launch of the all-island economic cooperation blueprint by the Irish and British governments.

Over the past three decades, the SDLP has been the only party which has been forthright on this issue and has set out clear policies on North-South development.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan MP launched the “North South Makes Sense” campaign in February 2006 in Belfast and Dublin on the same day because the party believes deeply in the power of all-Ireland cooperation; of cross-border partnerships; of fostering new relationships to create better living conditions for all.

It believes in targeted regional development in areas that need it, like the northwest. Where planning is done jointly, problems are addressed collectively and prosperity can be shared together: recognising that what is good for Letterkenny can be good for Limavady and vice-versa.

The SDLP believes in an all-Ireland Investment strategy, including a level corporation tax at 12.5% because such initiatives will be good for business and economic regeneration in the North.

This sort of thinking has been at the core of what the SDLP has believed in since its foundation.

We believe in North South. It is not just as Irish nationalists but also as taxpayers, as service users, and as citizens who want the best public services and economic prospects.

One Belfast newspaper commented in February: “What is striking is the comprehensive nature of the proposals for cooperation, from policing to waste disposal. Both sides can benefit from joint trade missions, to exploit overseas markets, and the SDLP’s plea for a common corporation tax of 12.5% would be supported by many unionists, as well as nationalists.”

Cllr Tim Attwood

2 Lakeglen Green

Andersonstown Rd

Belfast BT11 8TH.