The speech given by Foyle MP Mark Durkan at Oxford on Friday night has generated much debate.  Unfortunately, much of it has been misinformed.  

It is totally incorrect to say that Durkan called for an end to powersharing.  He didn’t even come close.  He did say that “we should be preparing to think about how and when to remove some of the ugly scaffolding needed during the construction of the new edifice”.  In other words, the system of ‘tribal’ designation that was needed in 1998 – and the less democratic version in force since St. Andrew’s – should not be needed for ever.

Far from abandoning the principle of powersharing, the SDLP leader’s idea is arguably for more.  He has been clear on radio since that the SDLP is totally committed to the D’Hondt system being used to allocate ministries.  You don’t have to call yourself nationalist or unionist to get a ministry!

Martin McGuinness was either malicious or ignorant when he accused Durkan of abandoning power-sharing.  Conversely, those unionists like David Simpson of the DUP who are getting excited about the prospect of the SDLP endorsing ‘voluntary coalition’ will be disappointed.  One can say we shouldn’t be governed only on the basis of tribal labels, but still believe that everyone has a right to participate in government if they choose.  That is not Peter Robinson’s preference, nor for that matter Sinn Féin’s.

They want to carve out the other parties and carve up power between themselves.

It’s a bit rich for the Shinners to be lecturing anyone in the SDLP about power sharing when they are conniving and conspiring with the DUP to deprive the SDLP of their entitlement to an 11th Ministry.

Durkan’s idea would ensure all Irish people in the North would be valued on the basis of their vote alone, while ensuring that community rights would be legally protected in a strong Bill of Rights.  If nothing else, his intervention has highlighted the inertia in delivering on that, a promise from the Agreement a decade ago.

There are three good reasons for looking again at the designation issue, namely:

• The current system is not preventing majority rule – it is preventing anything happening at all
• For republicans/nationalists, it will be necessary to discard the current designation system if we are to achieve reunification of the country
• Designation reinforces divisions unnecessarily – and inhibits moves towards a shared society and more open choices for voters.

 

The last two points probably merit posts on their own.  Suffice to say for now – to take the first point – that the designation system designed to prevent majority domination by the unionist monolith has actually delivered minority domination by the DUP on their own!  Their bigotry against an Ghaeilge is preventing an Irish Language Act, rural dwellers are being forced into the towns by planning dictatorship, parents are fretting about the education of their children, voluntary organisations are being forced to close and justice powers remain in London’s hands – all an outworking of the SF/DUP mutual veto guarantee. 

Surely there is a better way and a better means of advancing Irish democracy in the North.