Green Party Leader welcomes Irish government funding commitment

Today the Irish government has announced a range of shared island funding commitments including €50 million to a redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast, €12.5 million for a new hourly-frequency rail service between Belfast and Dublin and €600 million to the A5 North-West transport corridor.

Mal O'Hara said “It is very welcome news that the Irish government has made significant funding commitments to Northern Ireland, which underpins our unique connections on this Island and furthering cooperation in areas of Transport, Environment and healing community divisions."

Mal O'Hara continued "The Dublin - Belfast rail service will be a huge boost to local economies across the Island's Eastern coast and along with the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, provides an incredible opportunity to decarbonise Transport on this island and vastly reduces our reliance on car dependency."

"I am delighted that Shared Island funding is going to make a material difference in people's lives. The opportunities of much greater cooperation on peace, prosperity, sport, culture and environment are evident. I am hopeful that with a returned Executive we shall see a step-change in working cross-border to make a positive difference to people in Northern Ireland and the border counties."

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Green Party Leader reacts to a returned Executive

Mal O'Hara said “Today is a very welcome return for a new Executive in Northern Ireland. The significance of this moment for nationalists and republicans can not go unacknowledged and I wish the First and Deputy First Ministers good luck in their new roles. This moment crystalises us as a collection of minorities. I sincerely hope that we see governance underpinned by respect for all.”

Mal O’Hara continued “There is much work for the incoming Ministers. A fair deal for Public sector workers, investing in and delivering world class public services, addressing Northern Ireland’s shameful environmental record and the housing crises are key pressing priorities. Much damage has been done with the absence of an Executive in five of the last seven years. I genuinely hope that this will be a new departure in stable and good governance for Northern Ireland.
This is the first Assembly without Green MLAs since 2007 and I have no doubt the assembly will be weaker for it. Our record of delivering life changing legislation, improving how departments work together and scrutinising decisions stands for itself. While we won't be physically in the chamber for now, we will be watching and ensuring to keep the feet to the fire of those that have promised prosperity and social and environmental justice.”

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Green Party leader hopes that we aren’t facing another false dawn for stable governance

Mal O’Hara said “I am concerned that once again we see a behind closed doors deal between Executive Parties and the UK Government to restore the Assembly. It is a formula that provides a sticking plaster to longer term problems and as we have repeatedly seen, does not make government sustainable. A return to the current form of devolved government is not a cure all but it’s better than the limbo we are currently in.”

Mal O’Hara continued “Let’s not pretend that a returned Executive will solve all our ills. The housing crises, obscene waiting list times, failure to properly pay public sector workers and our ongoing environmental shame did not arise overnight. The Executive parties have governed this place for over a quarter of a century and have direct blame for failing to properly address these issues. They can’t always exclusively blame the Tories” “Hopefully we will get an Executive up and running to resolve some of the immediate issues like public sector pay and supporting the most vulnerable. But, we must do something differently. It’s time to review the structures of governance here. Not by a deal cooked up between the vested interests of the Executive parties and the Governments, but rather empowering people through greater, more local, democracy, such as citizens assemblies.”

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