IMPARTIAL REPORTER

With the sense of inevitability rising that elections will go ahead, representatives of four political parties here shared a platform in Enniskillen yesterday.

Despite obvious differences in approach, all four said that the elections SHOULD go ahead, and their comments clearly showed that the parties are not simply gearing themselves for a poll on May 29, but are thinking ahead to getting the Assembly up and running afterwards.

The organisation “Women into Politics” invited representatives from the Ulster Unionists, DUP, Sinn Fein, the SDLP and the Women’s Coalition along to the event.

Only four of the parties participated; the DUP’s Maurice Morrow sent an apology and the organisers said it was too short notice to get a replacement.

However, an audience of local women engaged in a morning’s discussion with three candidates, Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Fein), Arlene Foster (Ulster Unionist), Eithne McNulty (Women’s Coalition). The SDLP candidates were attending their manifesto launch, but the party was represented by one of their Fermanagh Councillors, John O’Kane.

It was a wide-ranging discussion, involving the future role of the Assembly, education, jobs and the economy, issues of equality, disabled access, racism and problems of rurality.

There also appeared to be general agreement on the need for a local accountable Assembly.

In interviews afterwards, Arlene Foster said the elections should go ahead: “I think there should be an election to give people a chance to vote people in to move the Assembly forward,” she said.

“But the Prime Minister needs to be clear about what’s going to happen after the elections. We can’t keep going the way things were,” said Mrs Foster, referring to the “stop-start” nature of the last Assembly.

Michelle Gildernew said it would be a “black day for democracy” if elections didn’t go ahead.

“It must go ahead, and it is vital it goes ahead on May 29,” she said. And she called on the Ulster Unionists to engage with her party.

“They live with us, they share this island, they have to talk with us,” she said. Eithne McNulty said the “democratic imperative” meant there had to be an election.

“What it requires to make it meaningful is that brave steps by Sinn Fein and Ulster Unionists,” she said.

John O’Kane felt the momentum towards an election was “unstoppable”. He said his party continued to work towards getting the Assembly to work to address “30 years of neglect caused by Direct Rule.”