08/11/2012 Party Political Broadcasts - Social Democratic and Labour Party

It's time to move on.

It's time to look beyond the agreed Ireland that we created 14 years ago,

beyond basic peace and stability.

A new phase is opening up in our politics,

a new phase to guarantee respect and equality

to all our people and begin the difficult process

of building peace and prosperity.

For 40 years the SDLP has promoted the concepts of reconciliation,

social justice and prosperity.

They were the foundations for the party

and for the Agreement that brought an end to the conflict.

We all celebrate them today.

But now, 15 years later, isn't it right to ask

if enough of the vision has been delivered?

In 2012 we welcome the political stability,

but should we accept the continued log jam on parading,

on victims, on education

and on a shared housing and a shared future?

The simple answer is no.

Peace and stability give us the opportunity to take charge of

our own economic future.

We have to look at the job creation potential

of every single pound of public spending

and the negative impact of every cutback.

It's time the Executive focussed more on creating jobs

and opportunities.

After all, it's jobs

and the economy that are going to form the foundations for the future.

I truly believe that if my generation

is to have a positive future

then the political process needs to once and for all

deal with the legacy of our negative past.

There's a lot of talk about dealing with the past.

I'm worried we're papering over it.

We've got to face it.

And deal with it so we can move on.

When we make respect our starting point it has the potential

to unlock many things,

parading, reconciliation, finding the truth and dealing with the past.

The ambition of the Good Friday Agreement is more than

the very welcome stability,

devolution and a united stand against terror.

It is the full realisation of the values driven by the SDLP

endorsed by the people of Ireland

and we are far from achieving all of that potential.

We need respect, we need fairness,

and equality for the most vulnerable people

in our society who are experiencing cuts in their lives at the moment.

We stand up for the vulnerable and we stand by them.

We will oppose these savage cuts coming from Westminster

and we will oppose any attack on the welfare of our women, our children,

our people with disabilities, or our senior citizens.

I worry when I see the same old sectarianism rearing its head again.

That's why it is time to outlaw sectarianism in the same way

as we have done with racism.

And can I remind you of the SDLP vision

of a reconciled, prosperous, united Ireland,

settled in peace?

How can we ever really move on

if we don't start to look at issues,

issues like cross-border tourism on an all Ireland basis

and improve our North-South capacity?

The SDLP's vision is clear.

It is about people sharing this island on a fair and equal basis.

The violence that held progress back for years is now over.

We must now unite people and build prosperity.

The time has come to debate and construct a new, modern Ireland.

We now have a golden opportunity and I want to see that happen.

We're not happy with the lack of progress here.

There is clearly a lack of delivery.

But out of this will emerge a new phase

in the politics of this island

with at it's core, values of respect, equality

and an ambition for all to prosper.

SDLP values helped deliver us out of conflict.

SDLP values will deliver again. It's time to move on.