Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ARLENE IS ‘A BLOCK TO TALKS’
RHI and rights issues still paramount say SF
The public have every right to be unforgiving if deadline is missed COLUM EASTWOOD YESTERDAY
ARLENE Foster’s leadership of the DUP remains a stumbling block that could scupper talks to get Stormont on its feet, Sinn Fein has warned. Party chairman Declan Kearney said the focus on Ms Foster’s future role “is completely misdirected and premature”. He claimed financial controversies which helped bring down the Executive earlier this year, including the RHI scandal linked to Ms Foster, continue to overshadow the country. And he added: “That discussion [of her future role] will only arise when there is an acceptable implementation plan to restore public confidence in the political process and ensures that the institutions will work on the basis of proper powersharing, equality, respect and integrity.” On Friday, Mrs Foster signalled her optimism a deal to restore powersharing could be done by the June 29 deadline, adding it “takes two to tango and we’re ready to dance”. But Mr Kearney, speaking at an annual commemoration of republican icon Wolfe Tone, said: “It is not a game and it is certainly not a dance.” He added: “If the DUP imagines it can wind back the clock – with a Tory side deal or not – and re-establish the institutions without adherence to equality and rights, then the DUP is indeed living in a fool’s paradise.” Mr Kearney said his party’s equality and rights agenda “is not negotiable”. He added: “Continued refusal by the DUP and British government to accept these fundamental positions will create only one outcome – a future of permanent political instability.” Northern Ireland has been without a power-sharing executive since March and without a First or Deputy First Minister since January after Sinn Fein collapsed the administration amid deteriorating relations with the DUP. Attempts to restore confidence have taken a back seat in recent days as the political focus shifted to London and the Democratic Unionists’ deal to prop up the Conservatives at Westminster. Parties return to talks today in a last-ditch bid to break the impasse. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said two weeks is more than enough time to do a deal. He added: “The public will have every right to be unforgiving if another deadline is missed. “Weekend reports regarding the precarious position of the British Prime Minister must not stall or delay getting the institutions back up and running. “The SDLP is determined to re-establish institutions in the North which last for the long-term regardless of whether the Theresa May-led Government falls.”