SDLP vote against communities in most need - McCabe

Speaking after he demanded an emergency meeting of the group campaigning for a leisure facility on the Bone Hills, Sinn Féin Councillor Gerard McCabe has hit out at the SDLP for again joining with the DUP’s anti-equality agenda in the City Hall.
The councillor’s comments came after the SDLP voted against need being the primary factor for leisure funding.

“The SDLP's decision once again to side with the back woodsmen of the DUP Council group and vote against equality is utterly disgraceful,” said McCabe.

“Sinn Féin is battling tooth and nail for leisure services to be allocated on the basis of need. Nowhere is that need more acute than North Belfast. Nationalists cannot safely access the four major leisure centre’s surrounding this area, Ballysillan, Shankill, Grove and Valley. Years of Unionist discrimination meant a sectarian carve up when those facilities were built.

“Honestly I'm gutted by their decision. The SDLP should hang their heads in shame for opposing Sinn Féin's campaign to prioritise need when leisure resources are divided up.
“This decision by the SDLP will severely damage the prospect of getting a local leisure facility for our young people.
“All our good work has been set back years by this anti-equality vote. When challenged at Monday's campaign group's emergency meeting SDLP Councillor Nichola Mallon couldn't explain how she had done a total u-turn.
“The SDLP are on record supporting prioritising need in this campaign, yet when it came to the City Hall vote the SDLP councillors completely buckled and sided with the DUP.

“However, even at this late stage it's not too late for the SDLP to reverse their position. They did so previously when the community strongly challenged them after they voted with the DUP against changing rooms for children at the Cricky Pitch.

“I don't know how SDLP councillors can face this community when they refuse to prioritise areas like Ardoyne and the Bone in greatest need. With unionism, it's a sectarian agenda, but with the SDLP it's just in total opposition to the needs of the community and that beggars belief,” said the republican represenative.