Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DUP JEFFREY COOLS TALK OF AGREEMENT
Doubts over Stormont stalemate
A SENIOR member of the DUP has said doubts remain over whether an agreement can be reached to restore devolution at Stormont.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has dampened optimism expressed by the Republic’s Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who said the Executive could hopefully be restored within weeks.
The Lagan Valley MP claimed while progress was being made in the talks aimed at restoring the powersharing institutions, a “question mark” still remains over whether a deal could be struck with Sinn Fein.
When asked if he shared Mr Coveney’s optimism, Sir Jeffrey said: “We have been making progress and there has been a more meaningful engagement in the last couple of weeks between the parties, but there remain gaps between us.
“Progress is being made but that does not mean in the end there will be an agreement, but we are determined to do our best to get one.” Sinn Fein and the DUP have been at loggerheads since the collapse of the Assembly in January amid a bitter row between the two main parties about a botched green energy scheme.
For several months, one of the republican party’s main demands before returning to the Executive was that DUP leader Arlene Foster step aside as First Minister until the conclusion of a public inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.
When asked if this was still a red line for Sinn Fein in the talks process, Sir Jeffrey said: “I don’t want to comment on the specifics of the negotiations, but we are pleased with progress that has been made, but there are still issues to be resolved.”