NOW, SAY YES TO A FUTURE TOGETHER

manifesto '98

Introduction

The Good Friday Agreement, ratified overwhelmingly by the people of Ireland, north and south on May 22nd, is the key to our future.

The Agreement is rooted in the fundamental principles of the SDLP. It addresses the basic problems of our divided society and provides a framework for solving them. It establishes new relationships: relationships in the North of Ireland between nationalists and unionists; relationships between the north and south of Ireland; and relationships between the people of Ireland and Britain. The Agreement protects the right of the people of the north of Ireland to the identity, ethos and way of life of their choice.

The SDLP is proud of its role in bringing the Agreement about. Now we seek the support of the people to make its provisions work. The Agreement is not a victory for one part of our society over another. A strong SDLP presence in the new Assembly and the North/South Ministerial Council is essential to make the Agreement work, to ensure its provisions and to enter into a new era of partnership and fundamental change. The Agreement commits the representatives of both sections of our community to work together in our substantial common interest. We will do so, and in so doing, we will also harness the massive international goodwill, particularly in the economic sphere, for the benefit of all our people.

A New Administration