Brokenshire: NI Deal 'Remains Achievable'

Secretary of State James Brokenshire has said a deal "remains achievable" to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland.

Political parties have been given more time to each an agreement, however in the House of Commons Mr Brokenshire said that the "hiatus cannot continue for much longer".

Parties missed last Thursday's, 29 June, deadline to make a deal.

Mr Brokenshire said: "If no agreement is reached, legislation in Westminster may then be required to give authority for the expenditure of Northern Ireland departments through an appropriations bill.

"We have not quite reached that point.

"That point is coming and the lack of a formal budget is not something that can be sustained indefinitely."

Sinn Féin leader in the North Michelle O'Neill MLA said his comments were "unhelpful".

She said: "He is once again pandering to the DUP's delaying and blocking of the rights-based issues which are the heart of the current difficulties.

"He has also quite crassly let the DUP off the hook on the issue of the Dark Money donation of over £400,000 which bought its support for Brexit.

"This latest evidence of a Tory side deal with the DUP comes on the heels of the DUP's support for cuts to the wages of emergency and public sector workers and support for a Tory Brexit."

Alliance Party Deputy Leader, Stephen Farry, said it was a "disappointing statement" from Mr Brokenshire.

He said: "The statement doesn't address the fundamental reality that the talks in their current format seem to be at an impasse, with the DUP and Sinn Fein increasingly engaging in public recrimination. The issues between those parties may be few in number, but the divisions and mistrust between them is deep. And on those key issues, the parties have backed themselves into a dead-end.

"The opportunity to impose a meaningful deadline, to use incentives or disincentives to move, or to consider a different dynamic has not been taken.

"While Alliance remains committed and available to engage in talks in any format, we are not optimistic of meaningful progress in the coming days, and fear that the Secretary of State will need to respond further and more substantially later this month.

"While we do acknowledge his recognition of the potential need for him to intervene to provide further budget clarity over the coming weeks, we are disappointed at the complacency around the current and ongoing damage to the Northern Ireland economy and public services from this political impasse."

(CD)