Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Recent motion 'finally confirms that the SDLP are pro-selection' - Brady

Published: 9 September, 2009

Sinn Féin MLA for Newry/Armagh Mickey Brady has expressed his disappointment at the latest motion from the SDLP to the Assembly which called for the reintroduction of the 11plus. Mr Brady said that the motion finally confirms that the SDLP are pro-selection.

Mr Brady said,

"The SDLP has learned nothing from the half century debate and the calls for an end to academic selection. At each and every occasion when progressive elements within education and politics have combined to end the unjust system of the 11plus the elitist selectionist lobby has managed to garner an eleventh hour reprieve. The SDLP are now championing that reprieve.

"The SDLP energy would be better used lobbying those small number of selectionist schools to end their unjust, unnecessary testing system which marginalises children and tells them at the age of 10 that they are failures.

"The 11 plus is gone and will not be reintroduced, the Catholic Sector has stated that it will end selection within 2 years and the Post Primary Sector and Primary Sector are urging the rest of those schools hanging onto selection to do the same.

"The SDLP has failed the test, they do not have the strength of their own convictions, they have failed to stand by their party policy and have failed to learn from the history of this debate."