Councillor Trevor Wilson
Chair of the Ulster Unionist Councillors` Association
Speech at the Ulster Unionist Party Conference
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I am proud of my culture and my identity. I`ve been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party since I was 18 years old. I`m a Unionist and a proud one at that.
That has never stopped me carrying out my public and civic duties for all sections of the community and I hope I demonstrated that during my time as Chair of Mid Ulster Council last year. I was immensely proud to do so. But sadly on other occasions I cannot say that of the actions of some in Mid Ulster Council. But before I get into that I want to set the context of today`s discussion.
If we are to build a better society for everyone then rights, culture and identity are an important aspect of the future. They will be interwoven with society. No-one can run away from that.
And the United Kingdom is a country which has been united by the coming together of nations with their own individual identities whether that be England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. We are stronger for it. We are a better nation for it.
Our proud history has been enriched by each individual component. And when times have been tough, we worked to together to come through the dark days. People know that we can live together, work together and prosper together because it has been done on a basis of trust and respect.
That is the way it should be.
But unfortunately that is not the way it has been on far too many occasions in Northern Ireland.
There are those in this society who seek to use and abuse rights, culture and identity for political advantage; there are those who seek to impose their ideology on others and use them in such a way to attempt to sow division across this country.
Let`s call a spade a spade. Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein have a lot to answer for. I could go back over the track record of the militant republic movement from the 1960s onwards and their scurrilous abuse of the fundamental right of all—the right to life. Unfortunately it would take a long long time to go through every murder, every lost life and every broken family.
Despite the ending of the IRA`s murder campaign we see Sinn Fein continuing the republican project by other means. And that is where rights, culture and identity are now being used and abused by Gerry Adams and his foot soldiers ably assisted by the Alliance party.
They have now jumped on to the issue of the Irish Language again. Sometimes they claim it is important to them and other times they just forget about it. If they felt it was such an important issue, why did they not include in their programme for government?
I`ll tell you why I think they didn`t. At that time they didn`t see political advantage in it. There weren`t votes in it. Now that they see a few votes in it, they`re suddenly interested. And like every other issue they pick up on they`ll press it until the pips squeak no matter what the consequences for this country or its people.
Waiting lists – don`t matter
School budgets – don`t matter
Welfare reform - don`t matter
It`s alright for Gerry Adams. He can fly to the United States for private health treatment.
Meanwhile the rest of us mere mortals have to sit and wait….and wait…..on hospital waiting lists.
For Sinn Fein, the party comes first. Ideology trumps everything else.
One thing is however guaranteed. Every time Sinn Fein becomes involved with the Irish Language, it is used and abused.
Just in the same way that they used and abused the Irish Language in the 80s attempting to link it to the IRA`s terrorist campaign, so they politicise it today.
The fact is, the more that Sinn Fein become involved, the more politicised it becomes.
Language and Culture need to be allowed to breath - to grow and develop at their own pace.
Look at what happened in the Republic of Ireland. Every legislative advantage possible was written into the laws of the Republic and what has happened the Irish Language? It is in decline. My advice to Adams and Co. Take the politics out of it. You stay out of it. You are sowing the politics of division in this society. But maybe that`s what you what?
Sinn Fein have tried to frame the debate around rights. They try to claim that an Irish Language Act is a ‘right’.
Let`s be absolutely clear. An Irish Language Act is NOT a ‘right’. It is a Sinn Fein DEMAND which they are trying to claim is a RIGHT. And just because Gerry Adams says it is right, doesn`t make it a right. I don`t believe him and neither should anyone else.
And every time Sinn Fein make that claim, they should be challenged on it. That narrative should be challenged at every opportunity as should every other.
Irish Language speakers are not being discriminated against.
Irish Language speakers are free to speak Irish.
Children can be educated in Irish.
There is Irish Language broadcasting.
But don`t try and impose a Sinn Fein version of rights on me or anyone else.
I`ll tell you what my experiences has been in Mid Ulster Council. I`ll tell you what rights look like on Sinn Fein`s terms:
The Union flag no longer flies on Council Civic buildings
All signs on our Civic buildings and Vehicles are now in Irish and English.
Poppy boxes have been removed from the main Council buildings.
Two Irish Language officers employed and last year £130k was spent on Irish Language while only £25k was spent on Ulster Scots.
The Irish Language is the first language in the council on headed notepaper and other facilities.
The removal of any emblems that might indicate that we`re part of the United Kingdom which goes against what is recognised in the Belfast Agreement – an agreement which they claim to defend but which instead that pull apart at every opportunity.
I`ll be kind. They`re hypocrites.
And I`ll tell you how that makes me feel and I would say how the majority of unionists feel in Mid Ulster – it`s still Brits Out.
Mid Ulster Council is rapidly becoming a cold house for unionists. It may have the façade of power sharing but in reality it is majority rule in Mid Ulster. And that`s a fact.
It doesn’t matter what the view is of the minority community in Mid Ulster.
It`s Sinn Fein rule.
It`s rights on their terms.
Sinn Fein will try and dismiss those claims. But those are the facts.
But despite this, I`ll be going absolutely nowhere. And neither will my family, friends and colleagues.
However there is a lesson in this. Can you imagine what would happen if Sinn Fein got an Irish Language Act where their demands were accepted as rights?
Do not grant an Irish Language Act! Stand-alone or otherwise. It would be a monumental disaster for community relations.
Instead we need to foster better relations between communities by building trust and mutual respect.
There are those who may feel that by acceding to an Irish Language Act, in whatever form, will be an affordable price to pray for the return of the Stormont institutions. I warn you now.
Don`t do it. For those who cherish the Irish Language, look at what has happened the Irish Language in the Republic. If it didn`t work in the Republic, shoving legislation down people`s throats in Northern Ireland certainly won`t work.
It will change the face of Northern Ireland forever. And not for the good.
Sinn Fein and the DUP have spent months in negotiations and they haven’t produced diddly squat.
Now I’m not interested in getting into debating a post mortem as to how we arrived at this ridiculous situation; we all know what occurred and how some people put their personal interests first instead of the greater good of the country.
But what we are all aware of is that Sinn Fein, led by Gerry Adams, who fled Northern Ireland for the Republic of Ireland and who is the greatest agitator on this island, is demanding a stand-alone Irish Language Act.
And Sinn Fein are also using the cover of Rights and Culture to advance their sectarian campaign. Hardly a week passes by when we do not hear of a police officer or member of HM Armed Forces being investigated or questioned about alleged events which occurred in this country many years ago.
Yet we hear and see very little in terms of questioning or investigating those who have committed or supported terrorist acts. How many people have been questioned or arrested for the many acts of terrorism (Republican and Loyalist) which took place over the last 40 years?
As Chair of the Councillors Association, I along with many in this room today remember many of our colleagues who were murdered, maimed or injured by Republicans. Indeed 36 years ago, one of our colleagues, Charles Armstrong who was the Chairman of the Council in this great city was killed and no-one has ever been held accountable for his murder.
As we all know, Sinn Fein are more interested in causing division and strife in the health and education sectors simply to advance their cultural agenda.
As someone who works in the private sector, I can say that businesses are hurting. Northern Ireland has no executive in place, no voice at the Brexit negotiations and unelected civil servants taking major public decisions. This is completely unacceptable.
And now this week the Secretary of State tells us that he will allow another two weeks before he has to legislate at Westminster for a budget. This utter farce has gone on long enough and it’s time the Secretary of State intervened now.
And can I also say, that the Irish Government has no role in strand one issues and it’s high time the government stopped involving Dublin in internal matters to Northern Ireland. Today I would challenge Her Majesty`s Government, Sinn Fein and the DUP? What side deals are being sought?
What dirty concessions are being considered to try and inch the talks forward? We all know that the Army Council, who have not gone away and who are still very much in charge of Sinn Fein, are seeking further concessions from Her Majesty`s Government.
And we all know just how damaging side deals have been previously; on the runs, royal pardons and funding for parties who do not take their seats in Parliament. So that is why this farce needs to end now. And that is why Unionists need to say enough is enough. The public are fed up with the current situation. The public demand a government and demand leadership.
Mr Chairman I support this resolution.