Foyle Election Diary 2017

Two roads, a university and an open border.

- Garbhan Downey

TEN month son, and Derry is considerably worse off than it was at the time of the last election.

We are still waiting patiently for the upgrading of the A5 and A6 roads and a substantive university development, (note: not a 200-seat post grad building).

But we now have the added problems of the loss of our one remaining power-player, Martin McGuinness, plus the bitter out workings of Brexit and the end of our European protection.

The imminent Stormont suspension is going to hurt us too. All state budgets (health, education, communities, arts) will be cropped by between five and 25 per cent or more under direct rule, and any new investment will be stymied if not choked.

The Assembly, however, has so repeatedly championed greater Belfast at the expense of Derry that there will be little clamour for its reinstatement from these parts. Not without absolute guarantees to correct the shocking, age-old imbalances, at least.

It’s always been hard in Derry to feel any affinity with the Northern Ireland state, but more so now when it’s about to separate us from our families and neighbours in Donegal. Even Dublin, too long silent on the all-island agenda, is saying openly that there has never been a greater need to look at jurisdictional changes.

Meanwhile the North’s political parties are starting to outline their priorities for the three weeks of talks we will undergo before either the DUP replace Arlene with a softer face, or Westminster takes over the reins again.

And it would be hard to argue with many of these proposals. We all (well, most of us, at least) want to see equality, an end to corruption, better health provision, greater investment in industry and education, and impartial inquiries into past misdeeds.

But that agenda doesn’t go anywhere near meeting Derry’s most basic needs. It’s not specific enough. And it’s not targeted enough.