Former Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has urged the local parties to make one last push to restore the devolved institutions.
The Strangford MLA was speaking after a day when he heard directly from frustrated representatives of the arts, historical institutional abuse and those seeking special pensions after being seriously physically injured in the Troubles.
Mike Nesbitt MLA said:
“We all hear the representatives of the local parties talk up their commitment to defend the most vulnerable in society, yet when you meet the vulnerable, they tell you they feel like they are being treated as political footballs and the last thing they get is the help they so badly need and richly deserve.
“Sadly, it appears to be the case that the leaders of recent Executives have been strong on set piece announcements, but weak on delivery. The survivors of institutional abuse were given a Public Inquiry which fully affirmed them as innocent victims of despicable abuse. Yet 14 months after publication, none of the Inquiry’s recommendations has been enacted, despite the fact I do not know of a single MLA who is against offering them redress. We have people approaching or past pension age, who have spent their entire adult lives in a wheelchair through no fault of their own. Even though it appears every MLA supports the principle of a special pension, the proposal lingers in suspended animation, year after year.
“Yesterday, I co-sponsored a debate on the arts at Parliament Buildings. It is a very long time since I last saw so many people in the Long Gallery, united in the message that the arts not only matter in their own right, they make positive contributions across every aspect of society, not least health.
“Since I started my campaign to improve our poor mental health and well-being five or six years ago, the issue has risen to near the top of the political agenda across the UK. Yet today, nine local mental health charities are in London carrying the news that recent agreements have not been implemented, despite the shocking news that we have lost many more of our people to suicide since the 1998 Agreement than died as a result of the conflict.
“Surely that is more than enough to encourage a last push to reach political consensus on restoring the Assembly and Executive. I hear much talk of the ’98 Agreement having past its use by date, but in a critical sense, we have yet to start implementing it. The Agreement’s core values are the commitment to a fresh start based on reconciliation, tolerance and building mutual trust. Those key foundation stones have yet to be laid and without that base of mutual respect, the prospects are for nothing better than more lost lives and lost opportunities.”