Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

McCrea benefits from Sinn Féin commitment to equality

In stark contrast to the refusal of unionist councillors in Belfast to elect a deputy mayor in protest at the election of Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey, unionist councillors elsewhere have agreed power-sharing deals.

In what will be viewed as perhaps the most unlikely of these arrangements, the DUP's Willie McCrea has become the first unionist chair of Magherafelt District Council in 20 years, with Sinn Féin's backing. Sinn Féin's John Kelly was elected as his deputy at the meeting on Tuesday night.

"Willie McCrea has complained bitterly for the last 20 years that he has been denied the top job on Maghrafelt District Council. But tonight he is set to benefit from a Sinn Féin initiative to ensure that, in the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, all council jobs are shared out on the basis of equality," said Kelly.

"Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin has set out its stall to not just promote equality but to make it a reality. Sinn Féin has had the courage to take initiatives that have not necessarily found support among our political allies or opponents.

"Willie fully deserves his chance as Chairperson of Magherafelt Council and even at this stage I offer him a warm welcome and encouragement to follow in the footsteps of Oliver Hughes, who has conducted himself with dignity and political maturity throughout the year."

Elsewhere, Sinn Féin's Anne Brolly was elected deputy mayor of Limavady council, the first party representative to hold one of that body's two main positions, following a similar power-sharing deal. The SDLP's Danny O'Connor is the new deputy mayor of Larne Borough Council, another first for a nationalist representative.