Statement by Ian Paisley, on the DUP's Policy Paper 'Facing Reality', (31 January 2006)

Statement by Ian Paisley, then leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), on the DUP's Policy Paper 'Facing Reality', (31 January 2006)

"Facing Reality outlines to the government the political realities of the day. There is no point in this government attempting to force Unionists down a road they will not go. The very idea of a power-sharing executive with Sinn Fein given all of their ongoing criminality and the existence of their terror organisation is just not tenable.

Unlike in previous situations, when the UUP led for Unionism, the government will find that we will not be budging on our assessment of the situation, we will not be browbeaten or forced into submission on this point. We have outlined a realistic and viable process that will allow for the democratic community in Ulster to move forward with confidence. We are not setting expectations so high as to be unrealistic neither are we prepared to settle for something so low that it is without meaning or credibility.

Our way is a realistic and practical way. The government knows that to be the case and if nationalists come down from their self elevated pedestal of ambition and expectation they too could see opportunity and progress for all democrats in what we are proposing.

We will not be budging on these matters. The government and the other parties can have progress on this basis. It is a take it or leave it option. It is this way that we can make progress. There must be a facing up to this reality!

We will not contemplate a situation where there will be a return to the failures of the past. Northern Ireland cannot suffer such a calamity of repeated failure. The government's way of the Belfast Agreement is the failed way that we will not be retracing. If it is devolution the parties want it will be on this bases or else no devolution will occur. The choice is there and it is now over to others to make that choice, to face up to reality and to grasp the opportunity before them."

See also:
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). (2006) 'Facing Reality ... A Truthful Assessment: The Policy Context: The Best Way Forward', (31 January 2006), [PDF; 915KB]. Belfast: Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).