DUP have put themselves in a Strategic Cul-de-Sac Over Protocol

DUP have put themselves in a Strategic Cul-de-Sac Over Protocol – Tóibín

Aontú Leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has stated that the DUP have trapped

themselves in a ‘strategic cul-de-sac’ over the Protocol.

An Teachta Tóibín: “The majority of the people in the 6 counties voted against Brexit, and

polling consistently shows the majority are again in favour or can live with the Protocol. The

DUP have mis stepped at every juncture of the Brexit Process. The opposed every peace process

that has happened in the north. They supported Brexit which created the need for a border either

in the Irish Sea or along the border. They opposed the Theresa May solution. They backed Boris.

They supported the Protocol and now they oppose the Protocol”.

“In the last week they pulled the nuclear option in order to try and force the British Governments hand.

The response of eth British Government has been to promise to implement the Irish Language Act.

The DUP have played their trump card and the British Government has ignored it. The DUP have

manoeuvred themselves into a strategic Cul De Sac”.

“The penny dropped with Ian Paisley Jr during his speech in Westminster yesterday. He rightly statedly

that the Tories are an ‘English-nationalist’ party more concerned with the Red Wall than the

Irish Sea border. Since the days of Randolph Churchill’s ‘Orange Card’, Unionists have

failed to realise they are a pawn in the political machinations of Westminster”.

“Stormont is not working, Its broken. No one political party should have the right to tear down

the democratically elected institutions. Aontú are calling for a reform of Stormont to stop one party

pulling it down again. The rules underpinning Stormont currently are a recipe for dysfunction”.

“44,000 people are left on the Housing Waiting List, whilst 250,000 people are left on the health waiting lists for

longer than a year, whilst there are 241,000 people living in poverty, whilst investment west

of the Bann is on the floor and whilst the cost-of-living is spiralling. The DUP’s mandate is

not more equal than others. The DUP cannot be allowed to hold the north of Ireland to

ransom. ”

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.