Republican News · Thursday 29 August 2002

Holy Cross could close

The chairman of the board of governors of Holy Cross girls' primary school, Father Aidan Troy, has said that recommendations by independent arbitrators could lead to the closure of the school.

In their report, Americans Sue and Steve Williams, who were appointed by David Trimble and Mark Durkan, recommended a wall be built along the Alliance Avenue side of the Ardoyne Road in North Belfast and a fence erected on the loyalist Hesketh Road, which backs onto the Ardoyne Road.

Father Troy praised the efforts of the arbitrators but insisted that the brief they were given was flawed: "It is unfair to ask a school to accept a structure that is going to lead to its closure and that is what this wall will do; they were asked to do something that was never going to bring a solution."

Father Troy added that enrolment to the school was down but that numbers seem to be also down at other schools because of demographics.

Sinn Féin councillor for Ardoyne, Margaret McClenaghan, told An Phoblacht that she is still studying the report and will express a view after consultation with parents and the wider community.

"The safety of children and parents is utmost in our concerns and school children should be able to go to school unimpeded; that is the most important thing for Holy Cross Girls," she said. She said she had no indication of loyalist plans to restart their protest next week and would be shocked if they did.

Sinn Féin had warned of increased use of plastic bullets.

A report due to be published on the use of plastic bullets has indicated that in the past year the firing of plastic bullets has trebled. Sinn Féin says it is further evidence that the current policing structures are operating without regard for basic human rights.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Francie Molloy told An Phoblacht that at a time when other parties on the new policing board insisted that a ban on plastic bullets was impending, Sinn Féin foretold that a decision, last year, to purchase 50,000 new plastic bullets would lead to an increase in their use and these parties must explain their position.

"In the past year the use of these deadly killers by the RUC/PSNI has dramatically increased and so has the firing of plastic bullets by the British Army," he said. "People living in interface areas have reported that the RUC/PSNI have openly encouraged the British Army to fire plastic bullets, thereby trying to outwit the powers of the Ombudsman in any investigation."

Molloy went on to say that an acceptable and accountable police force interested in human rights would not carry or use plastic bullets. Unlike the SDLP, Sinn Féin will not justify or excuse the use of plastic bullets.

A military report will be completed in two months and is expected to dismiss claims that the British Army is firing plastic bullets for the RUC/PSNI.

Loyalists target college

A Catholic college has been extensively damaged in a sectarian arson attack in North Belfast. The fire at the Dominican College was discovered by a caretaker on Tuesday 27 August at around 12.30am.

A sixth floor kitchen and the gardener's store were destroyed in the blaze and several other classrooms were damaged.

Sinn Féin councillor for the area, Gerard Brophy, has said that this latest sectarian attack on a Catholic school is just the latest in a loyalist vendetta against the nationalist community. "While responses from unionists to these sectarian campaigns remain muted attacks similar to this will continue indefinitely," he said.