The IRSP can reveal that 30/40 of the most deprived areas in the North of Ireland are Nationalist, despite pledges made 20 years ago by mainstream political parties and governments.
The statistics that were released to the IRSP, show that socio-economic discrimination still largely exists towards Nationalist working class communities in the North of Ireland.
(Nationalist Areas shown in green with percentage figures)
Michael Kelly, the spokesperson for the Lower Falls in West Belfast that ranks the worst for deprivation on the index says this disparity, while some may see it as divisive in nature needs exposed.
“No area, nationalist or unionist should suffer from poverty or deprivation, but its clear to see there still exists a massive disparity that needs exposed.“
Lower Falls IRSP spokesperson Michael Kelly
The figures were part of the 2017 multiple deprivation measure survey that took into account; education, health, employment, housing among other indicators
Good Friday Agreement Failure
In 1998 the IRSP refused to support the Good Friday Agreement as we knew it wouldnt benefit the socio-economic long term future of working class areas, a prediction that has constantly proven to be correct.
“Following the Good Friday Agreement, our communities were promised the world. We were promised socio-economic equality, infrastructure and meaningful employment; we were promised a future, such promises have not been delivered.”
Michael Kelly
Elected Representatives Have Failed Working Class Areas
Joe Matthews, a spokesperson for the IRSP has laid the aim at elected representatives and the British & Irish governments for this failure and criticising those that continue to lead us down the path of Stormont that has continually proven itself to fail.
“Elected representatives need held to account for this. They come every election with their manifesto’s and every year they fail to deliver. Poverty is getting worse, drug use amongst young people has went through the roof and suicide and mental health is now an epidemic”
“If elected political parties & representatives can’t fulfill their election promises then they must be exposed and held to account for their failures. If they know Stormont cant and wont deliver for working class areas then they must publicly accept this instead of leading us down a longer path of poverty, deprivation & austerity.
“If they know Stormont cant and wont deliver for working class areas then they must publicly accept this instead of leading us down a longer path of poverty, deprivation & austerity.“
Joe Matthews, IRSP
Since 1998, there have been 11 local elections and 6 Westminster elections. And within those years, the Stormont Executive has operated by and large for 13 years, with various suspensions in between.
Michéal Kelly expanding on this by saying;
“Sinn Féin & SDLP hold the overwhelming mandate in these areas. Of which, Sinn Féin are currently basing their southern election promise that they can deliver. We ask the electorate to visit working class Republican areas in Belfast, Derry & Strabane; what you see is what they deliver; nothing”
“Sinn Féin are currently basing their southern election promise that they can deliver. We ask the electorate to visit working class Republican areas in Belfast, Derry & Strabane; what you see is what they deliver; nothing”
Michael Kelly, IRSP
