Alliance attacks Executive parties on stopping Assembly sitting on Tuesday

11.50.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Oct 2007

Alliance Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy MLA

Alliance Party Chief Whip Kieran McCarthy has hit out at the Executive parties for deciding not to hold an Assembly sitting next Tuesday. He said that it is a sorry reflection on the lack of fresh ideas coming from Executive parties. They are holding a special sitting next Thursday to announce the Programme for Government but Alliance believes that they should sit on Tuesday as well, so that more Assembly business can be done.

Kieran McCarthy MLA who is a member of the Assembly's business committee said: "OFMDFM asked for the special plenary meeting on Thursday and we are happy to have that. What we are not happy with is the Executive parties abandoning next Tuesday's Assembly sitting. Sitting on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday would have let us get more work done. Essentially, this is a day's work that should be taking place, now lost.

"I asked that we maintain the Tuesday sitting, on top of Monday and Thursday, but the four Executive parties disagreed with me.

"People already know how little legislation has been put forward by the Executive and how lacking in direction it is. This decision by the Executive parties not to sit next Tuesday will perplex local people even more.

"Their reluctance to sit on Tuesday underlines the sheer lack of ideas that these parties want to bring forward. In the past few days, people have had a real insight into what goes on in the Executive meeting room. They have seen the total lack of collectivity and lack of direction firsthand.

"The move to prevent a sitting on Tuesday will not be appreciated or welcomed by the wider public."

ENDS