Opinion

Shooting the messenger is a much-favoured DUP tactic

When Sir Bob Salisbury told a committee of MPs at Westminister that it was an ‘enduring myth’ that Northern Ireland had one of the best education systems in Europe, Ian Paisley’s response was a totally predictable DUP response. He completely ignored the message preferring as Frank Hennessey pointed out in The Irish News (March 15) to shoot the messenger – a much-favoured DUP tactic.

Internationally we do much better in the primary sector than we do in the secondary sector. In the 2016 Progress In International Reading and Literacy Study (PIRLS) Northern Ireland finished eighth out of 49 participating countries in reading. In 2015 in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) Northern Ireland finished sixth of the 50 countries taking part.

Unfortunately we don’t do anywhere near as well in the secondary sector. Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) measures the reading, maths and science ability of our 15 and 16 year olds. In 2015 Northern Ireland finished 26th in maths, 24th in reading and 23rd in science.

Peter Weir, who was education minister when these results were published, said he was puzzled by the dip in scores between primary and post primary. He wasn’t really. He knew the reason but like the rest of the DUP they play to a middle-class audience and have little or no interest in the educational welfare of working-class Protestant people and their children. The biggest difference between the primary and secondary sector is selection at 11. It’s not rocket science and the DUP knows it.

Avril Hall Callaghan from the Ulster Teachers Union summed it up best when she said: “There is no mystery. The main thing that separates children in primary and secondary education here is academic selection. There in surely lies the solution to the minister’s conundrum. It is a scandal, that this legislature insists for the most disingenuous of reasons it seems to continue with the appalling education apartheid of academic selection at 11.”

JIM CURRAN


Downpatrick, Co Down

Custodians of law and order increasingly perceived as aggressors

The Policing Community and Safety Partnership is advertising for new members across Northern Ireland. As a former member in the Omagh area I carried out my duties to the best of my abilities but ultimately found my time there a negative experience. If anything the PCSP is run much like a sub-committee of the council. It’s staffed with council managers, it sits in the council building and is dominated by councillors who treat it as such. 

In Fermanagh & Omagh District Council relationships between the community and the police have deteriorated under the PCSP’s watch in recent times. This is best exemplified regarding an international goldmining company’s activities in the Sperrins.


The community doesn’t feel safe or in partnership with PCSP representatives in any shape or form. In fact custodians of law and order are increasingly perceived as aggressors in the community.


The Policing Community and Safety Partnership is  ignoring thousands of citizens in the district who have written letters of objection opposing the industrialisation of the Sperrins. For many in the community the PCSP is viewed as establishment led and distant to its needs. In that context the accountability, openness and transparency PCSP is legally obliged to deliver is abysmal.


A true community spirited member would do better volunteering for an organisation that puts an emphasis on campaigning for natural resources that sustains our society, as opposed to an organisation that would enable international mining companies ruinous activities in a tourist rich area.

CIARAN McCLEAN


Sixmilecross, Co Tyrone

Sinn Féin has not betrayed electorate

JOHN Cushnahan – ‘Abstentionist policy’ (March 19) – observes that the republican movement represented by Sinn Féin has “betrayed” the long-term interests of this island.

It is really too bad that one has to repeat certain facts.

The republican electorate voted for Sinn Féin in the clear knowledge of its abstentionist policy. No-one forced these voters. They went into the voting boxes and made their X.

The abstentionist policy stems from a couple of sources. The obvious one is that republicans, well, are republicans seeking to break foreign control. It is further reinforced by the knowledge that this foreign government ignored the national vote in favour of a Republic and set up a sectarian statelet that for 50 odd years vigorously pursued discrimination, and gerrymandering against nationalists and republicans.

The school of hard knocks Mr Cushnahan.


Neither Conservatives or Labour have been friends of equality in the six counties or of the legitimate demand to embrace parity of esteem (they are not alone in this – see Dublin) or come to terms with the republican analysis.

Of course Mr Cusnahan may want to deny the electorate this based on bitter experience. 

MANUS McDAID


Derry city

Painting with broad brush

FR SEAN McManus – ‘Legitimate expression of Irish wishes’ (March 19) – paints with a very broad brush in his comments on the St Patrick’s Day parade ‘British out of Ireland’ slogan banner. He absolves past Scottish and Welsh populations from any historic responsibility for injustice in Ireland – this is only true to a degree. Lowland Scots were involved in both the Highland clearances and in the plantation of Ulster and subsequent suppression of revolt there and throughout Ireland. Both Scots and Welsh – and Irish – policed and ‘soldiered’ the British Empire well into the 20th century. A substantial part of England’s (and Scotland and Wales) population are Irish or of Irish or part Irish descent.

Addressing a very large London St Patrick’s Day Parade, both London Irish and British public figures spoke of several generations of Irish contribution to Britain – in the building of railway and roads, post-war reconstruction and alongside British colleagues in the NHS and in education.

The British political and military establishment, particularly the Conservative Party are, historically, to blame for Ireland’s oppression, suffering – much less so the British people. 

Finally, but not least, myriads of ‘Brits’, as diverse as Stephen Hawkinge,David Attenborough, John Cleese and Tommy Cooper, are held in great esteem and affection among the Irish at home and abroad.

P McTAGGART


Co Derry