Sir, – When we optimistically greeted the Belfast Agreement 25 years ago, we never imagined that Northern Ireland could be without a government for over a year.
If we heard of another country where 25 assembly members could have a veto on 65 other elected representatives governing, we would rightly complain that that was not a democracy.
Power-sharing was devised to end one sectarian division in Northern Ireland having a monopoly of power, but it has had the opposite effect.
There must be change.
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Most of us care more about getting our elected Assembly members deal with health , education, the cost of living and the environment than about the intricacies of NI Protocol arrangements.
Some 25 years on, there are still sectarian prejudices, the divided society costs millions, and paramilitary groups still have support.
However, more and more people no longer class themselves as unionist or nationalist and want to engage in normal politics.
This must be our future – to live in a normal integrated society. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET MARSHALL,
Belfast.
