Sinn Féin MLA hits out at Culture Minister

Mr McCausland has written a letter to the museum asking that exhibitions on the Orange Order, Ulster Scots and the religious viewpoint of Creationism be carried.

However, Sinn Fin MLA, Raymond McCartney said that the ministers action were not acceptable.

"The fact that a Culture Minister has used undue influence to seek an arms length body, namely the Ulster Museum, to include matters that are issues close to Nelson's personal beliefs, is wholly unacceptable.

"The letter which written specifies a time frame for changes to be made to current installations at the museum before summer including the issue of creationism, which is clearly a religious viewpoint, and more representation for the Orange Order.

"The letter which was written specifies a time frame for changes to be made to current installations at the museum before summer including the issue of creationism, which is clearly a religious viewpoint, and more representation for the Orange Order.

"While the museums in the north are arms length bodies of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, this department is still a major funder. Therefore this political interference can only be seen a Nelson McCausland trying to use his weight to get his way while hiding behind the rhetoric of a shared future.

"Nelson McCauslands partisan view of the world is not that of the vast majority nor is it anything to do with a truly shared future. This is a Culture Minister who speaks of a shared future yet has refused to enter a catholic church, has taken part in sectarian parades through nationalist districts in Belfast, has failed to bring forward a strategy for the development of the Irish language, and his department has previously sent out personal invites to Orange fest.

"Nelson McCausland is not in this position to pursue his own narrow agenda and abuse his powers as he see's fit. He is there to represent all the people of the north. It is high time he started to act like a Minister and deliver on long standing serious issues."