Northern Ireland Secretary vows ‘pragmatic’ legislative approach as latest Stormont deadline passes
The Northern Ireland Secretary has said he will introduce new legislation taking a “pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach” to addressing Northern Ireland's political deadlock.
This comes after the latest deadline to restore Stormont expired on Thursday, 18 December.
Chris Heaton-Harris said his legislation will also “support Northern Ireland departments to manage the immediate and evident challenges they face in stabilising public services and finances”.
The Stormont Assembly has been collapsed for almost two years while the DUP refuses to participate until unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements have been addressed by the UK government.
Senior civil servants are running Stormont departments with limited powers in the absence of local ministers.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s party maintained their position during a final failed attempt to recall the Assembly following a motion by Sinn Fein on Wednesday.
Chris Heaton-Harris had been under an obligation to call a fresh election if the institutions were not restored by the deadline.
Minutes after midnight he issued a statement signaling that he intends to introduce new legislation.
He said he was disappointed that the Assembly and Executive had not been restored.
Thursday saw Northern Ireland's biggest day of strike action in 50 years.
More than 150,000 public sector workers walked-out over ongoing pay disputes.
The Government has offered a financial package worth more than £3 billion – including money to deliver public sector pay awards – contingent on the restoration of Stormont.
Heaton-Harris has faced mounting pressure from politicians and trade unions to intervene to release the funds but has maintained that public sector pay is a devolved matter.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Heaton-Harris said events in Northern Ireland this week “have shown the urgent action which is required to address a whole range of issues facing Northern Ireland”.
He continued: “I remain of the belief that a sitting Northern Ireland Executive is best placed to act quickly and effectively to resolve those issues.
“In the absence of a sitting Northern Ireland Executive I will update Parliament on the next steps.
“I intend to introduce new legislation which will take a pragmatic, appropriate and limited approach to addressing the Executive Formation period and support Northern Ireland departments to manage the immediate and evident challenges they face in stabilising public services and finances.”
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