"Let's focus on a real 'shared future'": Parsley

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 30th Apr 2005

Young Alliance Chairman Ian Parsley has called for a real debate about a 'shared future' in the final days of the election campaign.

The Holywood local government candidate stated: "Our politicians should be grown-up enough to engage in a serious debate about a 'shared future'.

"Alliance has a three key objectives: politically, we wish to see voluntary coalition power-sharing so we can get on with placing local power in local hands; economically we wish to see the millions we waste every year on delivering segregated services and facilities re-allocated to improved, integrated services; and socially we wish to see a human rights and equality agenda focused on every individual's rights, not communal carve-up.

"We have a vision of a peaceful, progressive and prosperous society with a political system delivering real solutions on the issues that really count -- health, education and the environment in which we live. It can happen -- people merely have to vote for it.

"The electorate in North Down and elsewhere will note that Alliance is the only party prepared to campaign on the basis of policies rather than tricks. We are not going to let the empty rhetoric and underhand tactics of the sectarian parties divert us from seeking a mandate to use our influence to deliver a real 'shared future' and a Northern Ireland of which we can be proud."

ENDS