Fresh Talks To Restore Power-Sharing In NI to Begin

Fresh talks to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland are to begin next week, the Secretary of state has confirmed.

Karen Bradley was speaking alongside Irish foreign affairs Minister Simon Coveney outside Stormont today, 18 January.

Mrs Bradley said the talks, which begin next Wednesday, 24 January, will involve all five main political parties and will be "short" and "intense".

Northern Ireland has been without an Executive for over a year.

Sinn Fein leader in the north Michelle O'Neill told Mrs Bradley that there must be a change of approach from her government if talks are to succeed in establishing an Executive.

She said: "We are determined to find a resolution that sees the institutions restored and delivering rights for all citizens.

"Credible, sustainable institutions can only be based on equality, respect and genuine partnership government.

"These talks will be a test of whether the British government and the DUP are finally willing to endorse these basic principles.

"Both governments have a responsibility for rights and equality under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

"I welcome the Taoiseach's recent statement as a concrete commitment to this.

"I told Karen Bradley that the British government is not a neutral and impartial player and there must be a change of approach on her part. 

"For too long, the British Government has acquiesced in the denial of rights that are available everywhere else on these islands."

Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA said: "The DUP and Sinn Féin have had since last summer to talk amongst themselves. Whilst we have continued to offer solutions, engage in bilateral meetings with other parties and the two Governments, the level of meaningful engagement in the talks process outside of those two parties has been extremely limited since then. That drift has been against the backdrop of people losing jobs, budgets being cut and services being put under further pressure.

"That phase of the process has failed to deliver any tangible progress and it is now time for all parties to be directly involved. We not only need a change of pace in these talks but a marked change in attitude from the two largest parties, if we are to see the Assembly restored.

"The appointment of an independent facilitator would be another significant step forward and we are disappointed that has not yet happened. Alliance first raised this matter before last summer and we were told there was no time for someone to get across the issues which were close to resolution."

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Robin Swann MLA warned that the process should not repeat the mistakes of the past.

He said: "Given the state of our Health Service, our education sector and how the lack of any form of functioning government impacts on people's lives, people are demanding that politicians get on with the job. Now is the time.

"This process should not repeat the mistakes of last year`s, excluding other parties and letting the process drift along. It needs to be open and transparent so that all the political parties are aware of just how close, or not, Sinn Fein and the DUP came to agreement last year. We need all the cards on the table and we need to see what the DUP and SF have agreed to date and what differences still remain."

(CD)