DUP 'blocking return to Stormont'
The Democratic Unionists’ negotiating position is blocking a return to power sharing at Stormont, it was claimed today.
Sinn Féin chairman Mitchel McLaughlin made the claim as British and Irish government officials continued to work on a formula aimed at breaking the deadlock over future power sharing arrangements in Northern Ireland.
As the British government considered proposals designed to make devolved ministers more accountable to their cabinet colleagues and the Assembly, Mr McLaughlin reminded them there were checks and balances in the Good Friday Agreement to prevent unionists from abusing power.
These, the Foyle Assembly member insisted, were not up for negotiation.
“Sinn Féin have said consistently that we are up for a deal,” he said.
“We want to see the sort of package which will see the institutions restored and the outstanding elements of the Good Friday Agreement implemented.
“But it is obvious to all that such a deal can only happen within the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
“The obstacle to this happening at this time is the stance adopted by the DUP.
“On one hand we hear from the two governments that the DUP are not seeking changes to the fundamentals of the Agreement. Peter Robinson appeared to acknowledge this in an interview this morning.
“However this position is at odds with all of the available evidence. The DUP continue to put unrealistic demands aimed at diminishing the power sharing core of the Assembly and other fundamentals of the Agreement and delivering a return to unionist rule.”
The SDLP and Sinn Féin have accused the DUP of trying to rewrite the Good Friday Agreement with proposals to change the way ministers are elected in the Assembly and how cross-border co-operation between a Stormont Executive and Dublin would operate.
DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson last night insisted there could be a deal which addressed the fundamentals of the Agreement as defined in a letter to his party by Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy.
The East Belfast MP said Mr Murphy had defined these as: “the commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means; the guarantee that there will be no constitutional change without consent and the requirement for cross-community participation in devolved government”.
“At the meeting we held with him, he added the need for North South co-operation to this list.
“Anyone who has read DUP manifestos and policy papers will know that none of these principles would be inconsistent with what the DUP has been saying.
“Of course the method of achieving them can differ from how they were being sought in the Belfast Agreement – but that is a matter of process not principle.”
Mr McLaughlin claimed the fundamentals of the Agreement included the broad principles of power sharing, equality, all-Ireland institutions and the checks and balances and protections.
The Sinn Féin MLA insisted these were needed “to prevent the sort of abuses we had previously under unionist governments and which continue to exist in local councils under unionist control”.
The British government was also urged today not to allow any of the human rights agenda to be diluted.
SDLP chairwoman Patricia Lewsley said: “A new Human Rights Commission is being appointed and the British government must ensure that it has the confidence of the whole community and takes forward a strong rights agenda.
“The government must also give it the powers that it needs to uncover and expose human rights abuse and kickstart the Bill of Rights process.”
