DUP Sending Out Wrong Message To Vital Foreign Investors.

[st333ve]

Foreign investors are not happy with the current political state in the north due to the DUP's constant anti-irish angle they are promoting.
Although the DUP can give a watery excuse for not doing what they promised in the St.Andrews agreement, the only people who believe their excuses are their voters who frankly would swallow any rubbish the DUP fed them.

This sends out worrying signals to investors as we are supposed to be promoting a new non sectarian era in the north.
The DUP's anti-irish stance on gaelic games and the irish language mirror past sectarianism which doesnt help the confidence of American investors especially considering the enormous Irish-American population there.

After Britan said no to a lower corp tax here, and the fact that America will soon be looking towards China for economic wealth means that getting investment now is extremely important for the north.


http://irishaires.blogspot.com/2008/01/ ... icies.html
http://www.irishamericanunityconference.org/

January 21, 2008—The Irish American Unity Conference today
condemned the recent anti-Irish language actions of DUP
Minister Edwin Poots, emphasizing the potential of such
blatantly discriminatory decisions to overshadow recent
attempts to attract foreign investment and promote fair
employment in the “new Northern Ireland.” In October,
Poots blocked the Irish Language Act promised by the
British government at St. Andrew’s despite receiving
overwhelming support, citing the belief that the promotion
of the language could “undermine good relations” and
“entrench patterns of antipathy and suspicions.” Now, the
Minister’s office has removed the funding for the Irish
Language Broadcast Fund from the budget. Poots’ stated
position on the promotion of Irish as divisive calls into
question his department’s ability to foster dialogue and
serves only to polarize community relations.

The IAUC believes that such decisions are a blatant display
of the sectarianism of the past, and not only work against
the encouragement of foreign investment, but run the risk
of replicating the problems of the past regarding resource
allocation and investment—thereby undermining any attempt
to build a solid foundation for just and inclusive social,
economic, and political change.

IAUC President John Fogarty said, “Rights-based Irish
language legislation would provide many opportunities for
the growth of the language and for the provision of
services to current speakers.

“We fear that the lack of funding and support from the
government has the potential to choke economic renewal
opportunities in the growth of the tourism industry related
to the Irish language, as well as in other community-based
development initiatives such as Fobairt Feirste.

“During their recent visit to the States, First and Deputy
First Ministers Paisley and McGuinness told American
politicians and businesspeople alike that the best way to
determine whether Northern Ireland is good for business is
simply to look at the political developments taking place
there,” Fogarty pointed out. “Anti-Irish language policies
operate as a deterrent to prospective investors who many of
us are working hard to convince that the days of
sectarianism and bigotry are in the past.”

Unionist politicians who stand in the way of Irish language
legislation are abdicating their responsibility to the
Northern Ireland community by undermining prospects for
increased investment and lasting economic change. The IAUC
pledges its full support for a rights-based Irish language
act and will continue to act as a watchdog to ensure fair
and equitable investment and employment in Northern
Ireland. To this end, the IAUC will seek meetings with key
members of Congress and all contenders in the Presidential
race.

[Cloigeann]

Good, if the current set up here allows for governmental sectarianism then "the wee country/************************ehole" doesn't deserve its investment, the IAUC is completely right I am sure they see it sickening seeing Hibernophobia in IRELAND.

The moronic DUP risk another troubles in the long run with their current attitude as this kind of crap built up over the decades like the last time and it exploded in 1969.

[Marcus]

They are also sending out the wrong message to local business. First they divert money away from the farming and renewable sectors at the behest of a small number of well connected building firms from the construction federation. Then to add insult to injury, minister Robinson last week declared that he will be opting out of UK building standards championed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and ex-Secretary of State Peter Hain. This was done after meeting with the construction federation. The farming and renewable energy sectors were not consulted before the decision was made. 68 companies in County Down are threatened by this notorious decision and at a meeting hosted by the Green Party last week we counted 180 jobs at threat in Co. Down alone.

The DUP would rather pay Arab sheiks, the taxman in London or Big oil companies rather than support local farmers, local businessmen and entrepreneurs.

[odie1kanobe]

Never rule out the deliberate policy to make it even worse than it is.

[restless]

Poots is sending out signals that his resistance to an Irish Language Act is based on the money it will cost to implement such an Act. When the funding for the Act comes from Westminster he will be seen as having played a very clever game - probably at the prompting of Robinson.

As for being seen as 'friendly' to developers? Doesn't seem to have kept those same investors away from the South.

I oppose both policies but let's not lose the run of ourselves here. Any opposition will have to be a bit more sophisticated than this.

[stevey2005]

Poots is sending out signals that his resistance to an Irish Language Act is based on the money it will cost to implement such an Act. When the funding for the Act comes from Westminster he will be seen as having played a very clever game - probably at the prompting of Robinson.

As for being seen as 'friendly' to developers? Doesn't seem to have kept those same investors away from the South.

I oppose both policies but let's not lose the run of ourselves here. Any opposition will have to be a bit more sophisticated than this.

Any funding for an Irish Language Act would come from Mr Poots own budget.

[st333ve]

So he saves a few quid by rejecting it but at the risk of losing huge foreign investment by appearing to be no different than the unionist cavemen before him ?

Call me niave but his reasons for rejecting this arnt actually based on his budget, this is the DUP being asked to support something irish!
This is as daft as Paisley Jr.'s brainwave, that by selling the causeway site they will save money, yet lose huge long term permanent profits which would pay for the site umpteen times over.

If you tried to swap the DUP a bar of copper for a bar of gold they would say no, their reason would be "why should we lose our bar of copper when someone else can do it?"

[lostexpectation]

dont' forget their anti-science leanings too

[restless]

Sorry, should have made myself plainer. Poots and everybody else knows that eventually we will get some sort of Irish Language Act. His objections to it have been on the basis that he hasn't got the money to implement such an Act.

It wasn't a giant leap to assume that sooner or later he will get extra funding for something or other. That funding will be announced as a great victory for Poots and the Irish Language Act will be implemented as the price for Poot's great victory.

This is a political forum, isn't it? Should I really have to explain all this? I mean I know I'm a newcomer here and everything but yuz Southern ones are supposed to be dead tricky and all. ;-)

[st333ve]

This is a political forum, isn't it? Should I really have to explain all this? I mean I know I'm a newcomer here and everything but yuz Southern ones are supposed to be dead tricky and all. ;-)

Yes because when someone has a theory they have to explain it and what basis they get their theory from.

What you are explaining is an opinion with no evidence whatsoever that it is actual fact.
So you havent explained it atall.

Infact according to you the DUP are doing this to get more money, yet they arnt the ones looking more from Westminster, SF and the SDLP will have to go to London to seek this funding.

It wasn't a giant leap to assume that sooner or later he will get extra funding for something or other.

You expect Poots to go to England in search for money to impliment the Irish language act?

Somehow i dont think so!
I could see the headlines now.....

'Poots in Westminster fighting for extra funding for the Irish language'

Poots opinion is that any money is a waste of money for something that is perceived by him as the enemies papish cultural weapon

Your unfounded opinions are not superior to everyone elses, unless proven.
Which they are not.
And we're not all "southern ones"