Power sharing in Northern Ireland set to be resurrected two years after collapse
Power sharing in Northern Ireland is set to be resurrected Saturday on the two-year anniversary of its collapse.
In a historic moment Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill will also become the first republican First Minister after the DUP ended a two-year political paralysis at Stormont. Party leaders in Northern Ireland met on Friday to discuss "key priorities that will be tackled by the incoming executive".
Following the meeting at Stormont Castle, Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie confirmed his party will enter the Northern Ireland executive when it is restored on Saturday. He said he saw a "sense of cohesion" among the parties which would form the executive.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he was delighted at the move to recall the Assembly. He said: "The Government made commitments to introduce legislation in our command paper and we have now followed through on those commitments. I look forward to working with the new first minister, deputy first minister, and all the ministers in a returned Northern Ireland executive, alongside Northern Ireland Assembly members, to improve the lives of people living here."
The DUP has given the green light for the recall of the Stormont Assembly on the back of a deal addressing its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has warned he will hold the Government's "feet to the fire" on delivering the deal.
Boris Johnson 'a bloody nuisance' over deal to settle Brexit Protocol row
"There's a new independent monitoring panel to be established under this agreement, which will hold the Government's feet to the fire as an independent body," he told BBC Radio Ulster. "I will be able to appoint people, professional people with knowledge of customs arrangements, with knowledge of trading arrangements, who will be able to ensure that what the Government have promised to deliver is delivered."
The PM's official spokesman: "We're obviously pleased to see we're making progress. It's a significant step forward for people in Northern Ireland after the last two years. We've always said for the people of Northern Ireland they'll clearly expect their local politicians to be working for them day in day out and delivering on their priorities.
"The PM believes there will be relief and hope for people in Northern Ireland that we've now found a way forward to see their institutions restored. It's over to the First and Deputy First Minister-elect to show leadership, tackle the immediate challenge that people in Northern Ireland face as a result of this agreement".
The measure to reduce checks on GB/NI trade is part of a wide-ranging deal agreed between the DUP and the Government that would bring about the restoration of a devolved government in Northern Ireland after a two-year hiatus. The DUP has agreed to drop its two-year blockade of Stormont in exchange for the Government measures aimed at addressing its concerns about post-Brexit trading arrangements that created economic barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
The return of Stormont will also see Members of the Legislative Assembly at Stormont have their full pay restored within days after their wages were cut by £14,000 last year amid the political stalemate.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
