Sinn Fein Warned 'Time Is Short' For NI Deal

DUP leader Arlene Foster has said "time is short" over making a deal with Sinn Fein to form a power-sharing Executive in Northern Ireland.

She was speaking at the party's annual conference in Belfast on Saturday, 25 November.

She also called on the party to "get serious".

She said: "We would have re-established the Executive eight months ago without any preconditions. We would have got the government going again while dealing with issues of language and culture in parallel, but such a pragmatic approach was rejected by the heavy brigade in Sinn Fein.

"They walked away from office earlier this year knowing what that would mean for public services and the hurt and harm it would cause hard working people," she said.

"They protest against health cuts yet held that very portfolio in the last Executive, where they would have been able to do more good than complaining at public meetings.

"They moan about what they call Tory austerity yet their Finance Minister failed to bring in a budget, leaving it to a Conservative Secretary of State.

"They complain about Brexit while refusing to form an Executive or take their seats in Parliament.

"They go to their conference and glory in the murder of the IRA. Yet when you listen to Sinn Fein they blame everyone else. It's time Sinn Fein got serious."

However, Sinn Fein Northern leader Michelle O'Neill said Sinn Fein remains committed to making the institutions work.

She said: "A majority of citizens in the North expect and are entitled to the same Rights enjoyed by citizens across these islands; language and marriage equality rights, due process in all aspects of the legal and judicial system, including inquests.

"The two Governments and local parties are responsible for the implementation of previous agreements. 

"Locally elected Ministers are best placed to run local public services and fight back against the austerity imposed by the British Government."

She also criticised the DUP's support of Brexit and Theresa May's government.

"Tory austerity measures have had disastrous consequences for communities across the North of Ireland.

"This will be further exacerbated by the threat which Brexit will bring. 

"The DUP support for these policies is against the interests and wishes of the majority of people in the North."

(CD/LM)