Policy not personality the priority - O Caolain
Speaking on the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Ray Burke,
Sinn Fein Cavan/Monaghan TD Caoimhghin O Caolain said that in
relation to both the peace process and the controversies which
led to the resignation it was policies and not personalities
which were important. O Caolain stressed the need for the
government to promote the national interest at the Stormont
talks: ``On behalf of Sinn Fein I would like to record our
appreciation of the positive role played by Ray Burke in the
peace process. He helped to steer the process towards the
substantive talks which have finally come to pass.
``The priority ... should not be the personalities of the Irish
government delegation at Stormont but the policies and principles
they advance there.
``It is essential that the national interest is promoted at the
talks. The failure of partition, the need for fundamental
political and consitutional change, the constitutional imperative
to move towards Irish unity and sovereignty, the need to end the
union with Britain - these should be the absolute priority of the
government in the talks. This will be the task of whomever is
chosen to succeed Mr Burke.
``On the controversies which have precipitated this resignation we
need to put them in perspective. Citizens have been told by
successive administrations that their act is being cleaned up and
that they want to restore the reputation of politics and
politicians in the eyes of the public. But the current and
apparently ongoing revelations undermine these promises and
reveal a political culture where the wealthy are rewarded for
their connections with those in government and vice versa. It's
not a question of certain politicians giving all the rest a bad
name. The issue is one of policy. Policies and practices which
favour the haves against the have nots will always be implemented
by politicians who represent the haves.''
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