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| Raymond McCreesh Park: Newry Sinn Féin councillors reject fresh vote | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sinn Féin councillors have rejected unionist efforts to reconsider naming a Newry play park after an IRA man. | |
| The park is named after Raymond McCreesh, who died on hunger strike in prison in 1981. The playground was first named after him in 2001. | The park is named after Raymond McCreesh, who died on hunger strike in prison in 1981. The playground was first named after him in 2001. |
| Last month, the council's equality committee voted by 15 to four to retain the name. | Last month, the council's equality committee voted by 15 to four to retain the name. |
| In a full council sitting on Monday, a proposal to hold a debate to reconsider the move was rejected by 15 to 14. | In a full council sitting on Monday, a proposal to hold a debate to reconsider the move was rejected by 15 to 14. |
| Council officials said standing orders would have to be suspended for the unionist motion to be discussed, but the vote meant the debate did not go ahead. | Council officials said standing orders would have to be suspended for the unionist motion to be discussed, but the vote meant the debate did not go ahead. |
| 'Hurt' | 'Hurt' |
| Michael Carr of the nationalist SDLP said his party had voted on Monday for the fresh debate to be held. | Michael Carr of the nationalist SDLP said his party had voted on Monday for the fresh debate to be held. |
| "The naming of a public space, and especially a children's park, in this way is something which has clearly caused considerable hurt to victims and survivors as well as the broader unionist and nationalist communities," he said. | "The naming of a public space, and especially a children's park, in this way is something which has clearly caused considerable hurt to victims and survivors as well as the broader unionist and nationalist communities," he said. |
| "We also recognise the hurt experienced by the McCreesh family and the pain this protracted situation will have caused them. We do not, in any way, want to add to that. | "We also recognise the hurt experienced by the McCreesh family and the pain this protracted situation will have caused them. We do not, in any way, want to add to that. |
| "The party politics played around these issues continues to open wounds that we should all be working to repair." | "The party politics played around these issues continues to open wounds that we should all be working to repair." |
| He added: "The SDLP is clear- no public space should be named after anyone involved in state or paramilitary violence." | He added: "The SDLP is clear- no public space should be named after anyone involved in state or paramilitary violence." |
| In last month's vote, those who voted in favour of retaining the name were Sinn Féin councillors and two independent republicans. | In last month's vote, those who voted in favour of retaining the name were Sinn Féin councillors and two independent republicans. |
| While one SDLP councillor abstained from the vote, the other eight of his party colleagues on the council did not attend. | While one SDLP councillor abstained from the vote, the other eight of his party colleagues on the council did not attend. |
| 'Offensive' | 'Offensive' |
| Ulster Unionist councillor David Taylor told the meeting on Monday: "I want to remind republican representatives that this issue will not go away." | Ulster Unionist councillor David Taylor told the meeting on Monday: "I want to remind republican representatives that this issue will not go away." |
| He added: "We will be exploring every avenue that we have at our disposal to ensure that we get this decision changed." | He added: "We will be exploring every avenue that we have at our disposal to ensure that we get this decision changed." |
| Earlier on Monday, his party colleague Tom Elliott launched a private member's bill at Stormont that proposes to ban public facilities being named after people convicted of terror offences. | Earlier on Monday, his party colleague Tom Elliott launched a private member's bill at Stormont that proposes to ban public facilities being named after people convicted of terror offences. |
| UKIP councillor Henry Reilly said the park's name was "grotesquely offensive to one section of the community". | UKIP councillor Henry Reilly said the park's name was "grotesquely offensive to one section of the community". |
| "Instead of resolving this tonight with a simple vote and doing the right thing, now we're going to bring this into the new super-council and poison that well," he said. | "Instead of resolving this tonight with a simple vote and doing the right thing, now we're going to bring this into the new super-council and poison that well," he said. |
| Sinn Féin councillor Liz Kimmins said her party's stance remained unchanged, and it was "disappointing that we have to revisit this over and over again". | Sinn Féin councillor Liz Kimmins said her party's stance remained unchanged, and it was "disappointing that we have to revisit this over and over again". |
| "The people have spoken in 2001 when they named the park, and again in 2008 when it was investigated by the council, and yet again in 2015," she said. | "The people have spoken in 2001 when they named the park, and again in 2008 when it was investigated by the council, and yet again in 2015," she said. |
| "People are trying to ignore that democratic decision." | "People are trying to ignore that democratic decision." |
| McCreesh, from Camlough in south Armagh, was one of 10 IRA prisoners who died in the hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1981. | McCreesh, from Camlough in south Armagh, was one of 10 IRA prisoners who died in the hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1981. |
| His convictions included attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of firearms with intent to endanger life and IRA membership. | His convictions included attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of firearms with intent to endanger life and IRA membership. |