SDLP Economy Spokesperson Alasdair McDonnell has called on Sinn Fein and the DUP not to fail on Policing and Justice and “to get down to the real business of helping the hundreds of people in Monkstown and East Belfast who are set to loose their jobs”.

The South Belfast MP said: “While Sinn Fein and the DUP are up in Hillsborough trying to win one over on each other, hundreds of people in Avaya in Newtownabbey and Hughes Christensen in East Belfast are fighting for their livelihoods.

“The politics of Sinn Fein and the DUP are clearly completely divorced from the reality faced by people on the ground. While they both barter and create a crisis over the parades commission and an Irish language act, more and more men and women are forced to join ever lengthening dole queues, families are left struggling to pay bills, the health service budget is being cut to ribbons and the education crisis rumbles on.

“Saving and creating jobs, health and education - these are the issues that matter to people. These are the issues people want their paid politicians to focus on.

“All attention and energy should be directed towards doing everything possible to help save jobs and protect the livelihood of the hard working employees in Avaya and Hughes Christensen.

"It is a disgrace that Sinn Fein and the DUP instead prefer to be distracted by doing side deals up in Hillsborough”.

ENDS

29-01-10