McCausland 'breached ministerial pledge'

Published Monday, 10 September 2012

SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell has proposed a motion of censure against Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland over his handling of breaches of a Parades Commission ruling.

McCausland 'breached ministerial pledge'

Alasdair McDonnell proposed a vote of no confidence against Nelson McCausland. (© Pacemaker)

Mr McDonnell said Mr McCausland failed to condemn the actions of loyalist bands that breached the rulings in Belfast last month.

Restrictions were imposed after a loyalist band played a song alleged to be sectarian outside St Patrick's Church on Donegall Street on the Twelfth of July.

In August the Young Conway Volunteers breached a ban imposed on them from marching past the church while other bands breached a ruling that they should only play a single drumbeat while going past the building during a Royal Black Institution parade.

After informing assembly Speaker Willie Hay, Mr McDonnell said: "The Minister failed to condemn the sectarian actions of the Young Conway Volunteers outside St Patrick's Church on the Twelfth.

"He has since hidden behind a deeply disingenuous line on civil disobedience to mask his failure to condemn the illegal actions of lodges and bands who flagrantly breached the Parades Commission determinations on 25 August.

"The Minister is quick to publicly judge on breaches by the nationalist community - it is time he exercised balance in his work."

Mr McDonnell claims that Mr McCausland has failed to uphold Ministerial pledges "in his failure to uphold law and order and promote good community relations".

But Mr Hay said he wouldn't allow the motion of censure to be heard, as it is a matter for OFMDFM.

"As the member will know I rule as speaker; I have no role in deciding whether a pledge of office, by any particular minister, which even includes the ministerial code, (...) has been breached," he told the assembly.

Responding in a statement, the south Belfast MP said he would instead be bringing a motion of no confidence before the house.

He said: "If our community is to move forward, it must do so in a spirit of partnership and reconciliation and the least we can expect is for those at the heart of government to uphold that spirit - Minister Nelson McCausland has manifestly failed to do so and action must be taken."

UTV's Political Editor Ken Reid says the party needs 30 signatures for the motion to be brought before the Assembly.

"I'm not sure they can achieve that," he said.

Comments

10 Comments

Michael in Belfast wrote (255 days ago):

LOL look at all the Nationalist/Republican posters having a go at a Protestant politician for not condemning violence. Look at you own first. Sinn Fein/IRA and their puppets in the SDLP have a very bad record of condeming anything but lets not that fact egt in the way of sticking it to the other side. Guess the tone has now been set for the next 10 years of commemorations.

henry in north of ireland wrote (256 days ago):

@glenn, the point of the above story is as a minister for all of the peope of the north of ireland mr mccausland failed to condem the breaching of a ruleing which resulted in disorder and police officers hurt which dear GLENN you have also failed to condem and shows you for what you are but then you already know that or you wouldnt have went into that bigot rant you call a post.you will prob come back saying your not from the north of ireland and if so then were are you from lol

Cynical in Belfast wrote (256 days ago):

@ Glenn... You are being rediculous. Even the Black & Orange orders realise the behaviour of YCV band left a lot to be desired!!! As for Nelson McCausland, his refusal to condemn the loyalist behaviour on that Saturday says it all about him. He, poor soul, thinks he was been clever & witty in squirming & avoiding the issue, whereas in reality he is being cowardly and was actually condoning blatantly sectarian and illegal behaviour because he is afraid of not being re-elected to his overpaid MLA perch. He was not alone in this questionable stand, Mr Dodds didn't impress either, probably for a similar reason.

ssaor in usa wrote (256 days ago):

Once again we have a loyalist going on the defensive in an attempt to justify law breaking behavior. The YCV just happen to be named after a terrorist organisation but that seems to have skipped everyone's mind. As everyone in a band wears a uniform so as to separate them from other bands it could be said therefore that all bands wear paramilitary style uniforms. As for Dungiven there is an Irish monument situated in the vicinity of the church. There is no proof there was any malice directed at the church. The famine song is a racist song as it is directed against the irish community and the YCV knew precisely what they were doing when they played the tune, and although I would have to concede what version of the tune was played it would seem that the band's supporters had an idea of what version was being played. This is not an isolated incident it happens in every town, In Omagh, flute band have been playing the sash and other racist tunes as they pass the sacred heart catholic church for years. During the famine protestants probably died too these were likely to be Presbyterian as they also suffered under the same penal laws as catholics did. Interesting they were not allowed to join the OO until the mid 19th century.

Michael H in Belfast wrote (256 days ago):

It appears after the past few weeks as though Nationalists have set the tone for the next 10 years of Centenary celebrations coming up. The Ulster Covenant parade should have no further attempts by Natioanlists/Republicans to prevent any part of it unless they wish the Easter Uprising commemorations to fare the same. I alos notice from the above comments made by Alasdair that he fails to condemn the recent Republican march in Dungiven which is constantly ignored by Most Republican posters and Nationalist Politicians while every effort is made to demonise Loyalists. My McCausland was probably not in a position to criticise as he would have heard the rumblings of discontent in his electorate.

More Comments

^ Top of Comments