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7 July 2016

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Fianna Fáil need to get up to speed with what’s happening in North, Belfast senator tells Oireachtas

● Belfast Seanadóir Niall Ó Donnghaile takes Fianna Fáil to task over cheap jibes


FIANNA FÁIL TDs and senators need to “get up to speed with what is happening in the other part of this island” and stop taking “cheap, misinformed political shots” at Sinn Féin, Seanadóir Niall Ó Donnghaile said at Leinster House on Thursday.

The newly-elected senator from Short Strand in east Belfast said he welcomes debate on Northern issues in the Seanad but he is dismayed at the lack of understanding Fianna Fáil representatives have on Northern issues.

His comments also follow this week’s clash between Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly and Fianna Fáil frontbencher Niall Collins, when Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael thought they could shout down the Sinn Féin deputy during a debate on rights for low-paid and low-hours workers.

Noting that Fianna Fáil is the party that wrecked the Irish economy and precipitated the economic collapse of 2007 “leaving thousands of families in hardship and our young people leaving these shores in their droves”, Niall Ó Donnghaile, the former Mayor of Belfast said of Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members:

“They have a very jaundiced view in particular of life in west Belfast.

“This is the very same west Belfast that under Sinn Féin has £60million allocated to the development of Casement Park, £15million to the development of Colaiste Feirste and millions in investment in leisure and youth provision.

“Educational attainment has risen, unemployment has fallen from 16 to 9%, along with a drop in levels of poverty caused by decades of discrimination and neglect.

“All this achieved in the face of swingeing Tory cuts and a global recession.

“It is past time that members of Fianna Fáil get up to speed with what is happening in the other part of this island if they are to make any serious contribution on issues affecting Irish citizens in the North.”

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