‘DUP have checked out of power-sharing’ – Murphy

Comments from the DUP’s Simon Hamilton show they have ‘checked out’ of the power-sharing institutions and the two governments now need to convene the British Irish intergovernmental conference, Sinn Féin MLA Conor Murphy has said.

The Newry-Armagh MLA was speaking after Simon Hamilton told a Westminster committee that he doesn’t believe power-sharing will be restored this year or perhaps even longer.

“If these comments reflect the position of the DUP leadership, then clearly that party has checked out of the power-sharing institutions or any renewed effort to restore them,” Conor Murphy commented.

“This follows their decision to renege on the draft agreement and to crash the talks process in the face of opposition from their own most right-wing, anti-agreement elements.

“But our public services and the rights of citizens cannot be held to ransom by the DUP’s refusal to close on an agreement which they negotiated over 14 months.

“So in that context, there is a renewed onus on the two governments to urgently convene the British-Irish intergovernmental conference to implement previous agreements and pave the way for a restoration of the Executive by addressing the British government commitment to an Irish Language Act, the release of funds for legacy inquests, progressing the legacy mechanisms and safeguarding the rights of citizens including the right to marriage equality,” he added.

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Posted by Newry Times News on Mar 8 2018. Filed under Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry