Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CENTENARY STONE IS A STUMBLING BLOCK
Unionists slam Hargey over her ‘callous snub’
COMMUNITIES Minister Deirdre Hargey has been accused of a “callous snub” of Northern Ireland’s centenary.
The Sinn Fein MLA confirmed her department has no plans to mark the 100th anniversary.
The party has also rejected a proposal by unionists for a centenary stone to be installed at Stormont.
But the DUP’S Jonathan Buckley asked: “When will the Department of Communities, plural, step up and respect the cultural aspirations of a significant community within Northern Ireland?”
Ms Hargey said a £3million fund has been set up by the UK Government to mark the landmark date.
She added the Public Records Office will facilitate access to archives relevant to the centenary and launch an A-level education resource.
Ms Hargey described the anniversary – along with a number of other significant centenaries this decade – as “sensitive issues” which she said some will want to celebrate, while others will not.
She added: “What I would prefer to see is that we sit down collectively as an Executive, it’s not just the responsibility for me as Communities Minister.”
Mr Buckley said: “Many people in Northern Ireland would rightly view your callous snub of the centenary as a recurrent and running theme within Sinn Fein.
“First the centenary stone and now from a department which has so much responsibility, no funding coming for it.”
Ms Hargey responded by saying there is “nothing callous in my approach”.
However, the minister was also challenged by other unionist representatives.
UUP leader Steve Aiken said he had welcomed comments made by Sinn Fein representatives around the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
He added: “In view of that, in the spirit of reconciliation, could she and her party consider to agree to even just a centenary stone in the grounds of Stormont? I think that would say just as much.”
TUV leader Jim Allister urged Ms Hargey to be “the minister for all communities”.
Independent MLA Claire Sugden said she appreciates some do not wish to recognise the centenary, but questioned whether there was an “opportunity to invest in youth in the name of NI 100”.
She added: “For me, the centenary is about looking forward and I think there is a real opportunity to do that.”
A recurrent & running theme within Sinn Fein JONATHAN BUCKLEY YESTERDAY