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Paddy Leonard, 24 May
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP has today urged British Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak to deliver a public service rescue package linked to the
restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland.
The Foyle MP was speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the
House of Commons today where he called on the UK Government to send a
message to the DUP that it is now time to get back to work.
Colum Eastwood MP said: “There are 500,000 people in Northern Ireland
waiting for a hospital appointment right now. That means that we all
know friends, family and colleagues living in pain or with worry that
their condition is getting worse every day without treatment.
"If it happened anywhere else on these islands, it would be treated as
a national emergency because it represents the collapse of basic public
services.
“Instead of getting to work to do something about it, Stormont is on an
enforced go-slow by the DUP. The choice they’re making every day is to
let people get sicker rather than working with the rest of us to fix
our health service.
"The same goes for our schools, youth services, our transport
infrastructure, street lights and every other public service. It is
time to get back to work.
“Fixing the services we rely on won’t be easy. It will require a public
service rescue fund to frontload resource into health service
transformation, ending wage stagnation and injustice and getting the
basics back on track. It will also require political leaders to work
together like never before.
"The message from people across the North was clear last week – change
can’t wait. It’s time the DUP and the British Government heard it loud
and clear.”