18/05/2016

Ministers Of NI Executive To Be Appointed Next Week

The ministers of the new Northern Ireland Executive are to be appointed next week, according to the Deputy First Minister.

Minister Martin McGuiness also called on the SDLP and Alliance Party to make their minds up on whether or not they will join the executive.

The Ulster Unionists recently confirmed they will enter opposition.

The DUP and Sinn Fein will take up the majority of the posts.

Mr McGuinness said the position of Justice Minister has been offered to the Alliance Party.

He said: "I am hopeful the Executive will be in place next week with the appointment of ministers.

"We have been involved in a series of negotiations with parties entitled to be in that administration.

"Those engagements around the creation of a Programme for Government began in December last year and I am hopeful, if parties approach this responsibly, that the discussion will reach an early conclusion and result in an Executive which will include the SDLP and Alliance."

Alliance Leader David Ford said: "The most important issue for Alliance is moving Northern Ireland forward. That's why we put a number of proposals based around key points in our manifesto, which we believe will be for the benefit of everyone in our society. We are currently awaiting a response on those from the DUP and Sinn Fein.

"We have made ourselves available for further discussions if necessary. While we will not get into the proposals publicly, the five steps to progress we launched with our manifesto formed the basis of them.

"We need to see an Executive which overcomes the difficulties it has experienced in the past, which deals with the financial and social problems in our society, which progresses towards a united community and which meets the needs of everyone here. That's what we will be basing an decision on."

(CD)

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