ireland, irish, ulster, belfast, northern ireland, british, loyalist, nationalist, republican, unionist

(Victoria McMahon, Irelandclick.com)

Peter Hain's coming to Lisburn today (Monday) where unionists will tell him about loyalist deprivation – even though Twinbrook and Poleglass are in the top ten list of most deprived areas in the North.

A Sinn Féin delegation from Lisburn City Council will today present British Secretary of State Peter Hain with two damning reports detailing ongoing nationalist deprivation in the Colin area and sectarian discrimination nationalist councillors suffer at the hands of unionist politicians sitting on Lisburn City Council.

The latest report published by Northern Ireland Statistical Research Agency measuring social deprivation includes the nationalist areas of Twinbrook and Poleglass in a list of the top ten most deprived areas in the North.

The delegation, headed by Sinn Féin councillor Paul Butler, will present the latest report detailing how Twinbrook and Poleglass suffer a staggering 16% unemployment compared to four per cent in the rest of Lisburn and seven per cent in the rest of the North. Also in the delegation will be Sinn Féin Councillor for Lisburn Angela Nelson. She said of the shocking statistics: "In light of the perceived loyalist deprivation this report clearly shows how nationalist areas are in actual fact the most socially deprived.

"The British Secretary of State only needs to walk around Colin to see there is no park despite 53% of the Poleglass population being aged under 25. We are taking this opportunity to put Peter Hain straight. He can see the facts and figures for himself," she said.

Cllr Nelson will be joined by Sinn Féin councillors Michael Ferguson and Veronica Willis when Cllr Butler also presents Mr Hain with a detailed account of the sectarian discrimination nationalist councillors have endured over the years at the hands of unionist politicians.

Councillor Butler said: "This Council has a shameful record of treating nationalists as second class citizens and of attempting to deny any expression and recognition of the nationalist tradition in the city boundaries."

This article appeared first on the Irelandclick.com web site on September 19, 2005.