Northern Ireland political leaders on deal to restore powersharing after DUP agreement

Sinn Féin vice president Michelle O’Neill has said the next number of days are crucial to get Northern Ireland's power-sharing institutions up and running.

It comes after Sir Jeffrey Donaldson signaled the DUP is willing to return to Stormont after party members endorsed a deal with the UK Government on the Windsor Framework.

“I do think it is a day of optimism and some hope for the wider public," said Ms O'Neill.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that he was “confident” the latest developments in Northern Ireland “pave the way for the restoration of powersharing” in the region. Offering a readout of the talks between the two leaders, a No 10 spokesman said: “The Prime Minister spoke to the Taoiseach today to update him on the UK Government’s negotiations with the DUP and Northern Ireland parties, following last night’s positive step from the DUP. “The Prime Minister said he is confident that the steps taken pave the way for the restoration of power sharing in the Northern Ireland executive. “The Prime Minister outlined the terms of the agreement, alongside the significant support being prepared to stabilise public services. “He hoped this would provide a strong basis for the long-term political stability of Northern Ireland. “Both leaders agreed that it was in the people of Northern Ireland’s interests to have stable devolved government, and that this was also beneficial to relations between the UK and Ireland.”

Michelle O'Neill continued: “Our public services are stretched to the limit, our public-sector workers have been forced out onto the picket lines.

“We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, a slog ahead of us, but collectively we can do better for the people we serve. Collectively, we can fight back against this Tory austerity agenda, collectively we can stand up and fight hard for public services.

“That is what we are in the business of doing. Trying to make people’s lives better, improving people’s lot, and that is what I want to be in the position of first minister to do.

“And trying to work with all the other parties. I think the next number of days are going to be crucial to get us to the actual, real, live point where we actually go into that chamber and nominate first and deputy first ministers, put ministers into positions and let’s get down to business."

Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long said the Stormont institutions must be reformed to prevent further collapses.

“The priority now is where we go from here, not where we have been," said Ms Long.

“We will be going to the (Stormont) Castle this afternoon and engaging with the other parties constructively about how we might take Northern Ireland forward for the next number of years, what we will and will not be able to achieve given the budgetary constraints and the challenges we face.

“The sooner we have these institutions restored, the better.”

UUP Leader Doug Beattie said the Windsor Framework will not be changed “one sentence”, referring to the DUP’s decision to back a deal that the party claims addresses its post-Brexit concerns.

Speaking at Stormont, Mr Beattie said: “The best way, as a unionist, to secure the union is to make Northern Ireland work and to make it a working part of the United Kingdom.

“Everyone will look at this and make their own decisions, I will make it as honest as I possibly can. The Windsor Framework will not be changed one sentence, one dot of an ‘i’, not one cross of a ‘t’.

“The Windsor Framework will simply not be changed. The Irish Sea border is still going to be there. There will be still EU laws which are going to affect us here in Northern Ireland.

“All of these things are still going to be here. We said that we’re still going to be here. These are the challenges that we as a party have said that we need to be addressing inside a restored Executive.

“So, they haven’t gone away. None of these issues have gone away. They’re still there but that doesn’t mean we have to stop trying to challenge them and we can challenge them while at the same time maximising any opportunities which are laid in front of us.”

The SDLP will be the official opposition when devolution is restored. Its Stormont leader Matthew O'Toole said today was not for popping Champagne corks.

He said the priority was to get the pay dispute resolved for public sector workers.

"And then starting to resuscitate first of all and then revitalise and improve public services. Because if we don't people will start to lose faith in public services."

He said he would like to see the institutions restored as soon as possible. In opposition, the SDLP will look to hold the Executive to account.

He said his party would look to "ensure deliverability and accountability as we have not had that in the past."

TUV Leader Jim Allister has claimed a decision by the DUP to accept Government proposals aimed at addressing its concerns over the so-called Irish Sea border “could be game over for the union”.

He said he believed the deal would mean that Northern Ireland “will never again be a full part of the United Kingdom”.

“That, of course, is to our detriment because it puts us on transition out of the United Kingdom through the application of the common laws that apply north and south into an evolving all-Ireland economy. That’s something that no unionist leader should be doing and certainly shouldn’t be dressing it up as something else.”

Earlier the Northern Ireland secretary of state said he believes “all the conditions are now in place” for Stormont to return.

Chris Heaton-Harris said: “As agreed with Sir Jeffrey (Donaldson, the DUP leader), and subject to the finalisation of all-party talks today, I will tomorrow publish the details of the proposal we have made to secure Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market and to strengthen the union.

“I believe that all the conditions are now in place for the assembly to return. I look forward very much to the restoration of the institutions as soon as possible."

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