A ‘REASONABLE SPIRIT’ ON DAY ONE OF FRESH TALKS
CAUTIOUS START AS CLOCK TICKS ON A DEAL
SUZANNE BREEN: THE WHITEHALL MANDARIN HEADING TO STORMONT
DUP MP Gregory Campbell has called on all parties in the Stormont talks to “redouble their efforts” to reach a deal so a budget can be swiftly put in place for Northern Ireland by local politicians.
Speaking after the first day of negotiations to restore power-sharing, Mr Campbell said there had been “a reasonable spirit” during discussions between his party and Sinn Fein.
But he stressed that intense focus must be on reaching agreement as the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, David Sterling, warned that budget certainty was needed by February 8.
Mr Campbell said: “We had a good start to the talks with no animosity or aggression. Not so long ago Sinn Fein cast doubt on its very participation in future dialogue so the fact that the party was back at negotiations represents progress.
“But the current situation in Northern Ireland isn’t sustainable, as David Sterling has made clear. Every political party must redouble their efforts to get devolution back in place.
“And any deal must be capable of being delivered in both communities. No single party or focus group can have all their demands met. It’s not just Sinn Fein that must sell any deal to its base, the DUP will have to as well.”
The five main parties met Secretary of State Karen Bradley and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney yesterday. The DUP and Sinn Fein also held a bilateral discussion and will meet again today.
Sinn Fein president-elect Mary Lou McDonald joined her party’s Northern Ireland leader Michelle O’Neill, MLA Conor Murphy, and Foyle MP Elisha McCallion for the talks.
Irish language group Conradh na Gaeilge was also at Stormont to meet Sinn Fein and the Alliance Party, and hopes to meet other parties this week.
Conor Murphy said: “We have listened to and read what the DUP have said in relation to these talks and look forward to seeing that approach (today).
“Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill held several meetings with representatives of the sectors whose rights are being denied and whose rights we are trying to promote, defend and secure.
“We have said clearly that the outcome of the talks must secure the implementation of what was previously agreed, secure rights for people who are being denied them, and get the institutions back working on genuine power-sharing.”
But speaking after a trilateral meeting with the British and Irish governments, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said London and Dublin could not “go on protecting the DUP and Sinn Fein”.
He called for details of the “significant compromises” the two parties had reached in previous talks to be published.
Mr Eastwood said: “Both governments confirmed to me that significant progress was made in November — yet both parties prefer to continue their status quo of secrecy rather than come clean with the public.
“The SDLP is up for working with all parties to restore local government here, we cannot negotiate blind. The details of the compromises made by the DUP and Sinn Fein must be made public.
“People deserve to know the truth — rather than watching press conference after press conference filled with no substance, only mantra after mantra.”
He added: “Many people across the north will be asking themselves what are these parties hiding? Why are they afraid to tell the public the truth?
“If the DUP and Sinn Fein are intending on going through the motions before handing all our power over to Theresa May and the British government — they
should know, the SDLP will not prop up a farce.”
But Sinn Fein insisted that not enough progress was made during the autumn talks and said the party “never conducted our negotiations in public”.
UUP leader Robin Swann welcomed the start of the talks but demanded a “fully participative process”.
He said: “Exclusive talks restricted to the two largest parties failed to reach agreement last year so we should not repeat
that mistake. We are not content to be part of a process that is merely window dressing.
“Sinn Fein have changed their position to participate in these talks, but we are still not clear whether their commitment is genuine or done to give the new president-elect of Sinn Fein a smooth run-in and to protect their southern base in advance of an election in the Republic.”
Mrs Bradley is due to update the House of Commons on the talks on February 7.