Agreement is 'best way forward'

I would urge Mr. Wright to judge the content of the recent agreement at Hillsborough Castle on what the document actually contains rather than his own prejudice. People are entitled to their own opinion, what they are not entitled to is their own facts.

The facts are very simple:

There will be no Sinn Fein Justice Minister

There will be no new north-south bodies

There will be no Irish Language Act

The operational independence of the police and the courts has been guaranteed

There WILL be an additional 800million for policing in Northern Ireland

There WILL be a new process for dealing with controversial parades: the end of the Parades Commission is nigh

There WILL be 20million for those who served their country in the part time reserve of the police

As to seeking a resolution to the situation around controversial parades: in Dunloy, no-one has worked more to resolve the Dunloy situation than the DUP. I am pleased that the leadership of the Orange Institution have recognised that the agreement is a positive step forward.

The agreement at Hillsborough represents the best way for Northern Ireland, it will allow for more stable government on Unionist terms and will see a satisfactory outcome on parades. Mr. Wright might think that attempting to secure a better future for our children is a laughing matter but I do not.

Next time Mr. Wright decides to laugh in to his tea cup, I suggest he re-reads his own correspondence, there's plenty to laugh at in it.

Regards

John Foster