Ireland and UK must work out Stormont deal
Mary Lou plea on Irish language and gay marriage
I would appeal to the DUP to reconsider their position MARY LOU MCDONALD YESTERDAY
SINN Fein leader Mary Lou Mcdonald yesterday said it was up to the Irish and UK governments to work together for an Irish Language Act and marriage equality in the North.
Efforts to restore power-sharing following a 13-month impasse lie in tatters after the angry Valentine’s Day break-up when the DUP unexpectedly pulled the plug on talks.
Sinn Fein want a stand-alone Irish Language Act to protect language speakers, but Arlene Foster’s party is only prepared to legislate for Irish speakers as part of wider legislation that incorporates the Ulster Scots culture.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of the Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle in Dublin yesterday, the 48-yearold appealed to the DUP to reconsider its position.
However, she said if that is not possible then the parties have to discuss how they can find a way forward. Ms Mcdonald said: “Sinn Fein worked for the past 13 months to reach an agreement to re-establish the Executive.
“We reached an accommodation and draft agreement. The DUP failed to close the deal and collapsed the talks. Our appeal to the DUP is fairly straightforward.
“We had a draft agreement, we have a draft agreement I would appeal to the DUP at this juncture to reconsider their position, come back and talk to us and get that over the line. But I would also say to the DUP, if that is not a runner and I suspect at this moment it’s not, we’re not standing still, the show must go on and we have to move forward. “After 13 months of talks it is now up to the two governments to implement the agreements on legacy, an Irish Language Act and to provide for marriage equality. “These rights cannot be held hostage by the failure of the DUP to sign off an agreement. “We will be briefing the Ard Chomhairle on the draft agreement and way forward. “We will be meeting the Taoiseach and the British prime minister in the coming period.” Ms Mcdonald also appeared on RTE’S The Late Late Show on Friday night and defended her signing off from the party’s Ard Fheis the previous weekend. She claimed saying, “Up the Republic, up the rebels, agus tiocfaidh ar la” had been about the future and not a way of referring to the past. news@irishmirror.ie