23/05/2018

Govt Urged To End 'Do Nothing Strategy' In Stormont Stalemate

The British Government has been urged to end its "do nothing strategy" and convene the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in order to restore the power-sharing institutions.

Sinn Féin Deputy Leader, Michelle O'Neill, made the call in response to questions at a Dublin press conference.

Michelle O'Neill said: "Sinn Féin are as disappointed as anybody that we don't have fully functioning institutions in the north because we are as committed to them today as we were 20 years ago when the Good Friday Agreement was signed.

"Unfortunately for us all, the DUP have checked out of the institutions and checked out of power-sharing. Allied to that, we have a British Government who are in-hock to the DUP and therefore have a strategy of doing nothing.

"In such a context, both Sinn Féin and the Good Friday Agreement are perfectly clear about what needs to happen next.

"The British Irish Intergovernmental Conference should be convened so that the two governments, working together, can take decisions to resolve the issues and pave the way for the restoration of power-sharing.

"In the absence of the DUP wanting to get into the institutions, in the absence of us having a partner in which to form an Executive then the two governments must act and fulfil their role as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement."

(MH/LM)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

14 November 2024
Minister Murphy Raises Economic Concerns in London
Economy Minister Conor Murphy today raised a number of key economic issues with British Government Ministers during a visit to London.
28 February 2023
SF Welcomes Breakthrough Between London And Brussels
Sinn Féin have welcomed the breakthrough between London and Brussels and called for the restoration of NI's political institutions "without delay".
04 January 2018
DUP & SF Blame Each Other For Health Crisis
Former NI Executive partners Sinn Féin and the DUP have called on the other to take action to address the ongoing crisis in the health service.
23 January 2017
Michelle O'Neill Named Sinn Féin's New Leader Of The North
Michelle O'Neill has been chosen to replace Martin McGuinness as Sinn Féin's new leader of the north. Mr McGuinness recently announced his retirement partly due to ill health. In May 2016 Michelle was re-elected as an Assembly member for Mid Ulster and reappointed to the Executive as Minister for Health.
13 December 2021
DUP Must End Repeated Threats To Destabilise The Executive
The DUP must end its repeated threats to the political institutions and focus on issues that matter to people, Sinn Féin Vice President and deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said.