Alliance Calls For All-Party Talks On Institutional Reforms

The Alliance Party has called for immediate all-party talks to discuss the reform of NI's institutions in order to get the Assembly and Executive up and running again.

Party Leader Naomi Long MLA said a roundtable discussion between all parties on the issue could build on a previous desire expressed by them all to reform the institutions so they could better deliver for people here.

"We will very soon reach the one-year anniversary of the DUP resigning the position of First Minister and plunging Northern Ireland into chaos. There is no doubt the lack of an Executive has exacerbated the cost of living crisis and problems in our health service," she said.

"It is welcome to see some other parties have come onboard with the realisation reform of the institutions is key to not only restoring the Assembly and Executive but securing their long-term viability. All of the main parties have talked about the need for reform of the institutions, with some even including it in recent manifestos.

"Despite some differences over the nature of that, I am keen to see us working together to firstly restore and then improve how the Assembly and Executive deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. A roundtable discussion on reform can be the next step in that process. The deadlock we are witnessing serves nobody at all

"As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it is shameful the institutions are not currently functioning. We need to preserve and protect the spirit of the Agreement by reforming it, and stopping the constant cycle of ransom politics, so it can deliver for the next 25 years as well."