Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Churches in appeal for agreement at Stormont
NORTHERN Ireland’s main churches yesterday urged politicians to show courage and reach agreement.
Fresh talks started last week in a bid to see the power-sharing government at Stormont resurrected after more than two years.
The latest dialogue comes after a plea from a priest conducting the funeral service of journalist Lyra Mckee, who was murdered in Derry by the New IRA. Fr Martin Magill urged politicians present at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast last month to work to restore Stormont.
The local leaders of the Catholic Church, Presbyterians, Church of Ireland and Methodists were among the group which met Secretary of State Karen Bradley, Tanaiste Simon Coveney and the political parties at Stormont House yesterday.
In a joint statement, they expressed hope the new talks were a “fresh window of opportunity, born of tragedy”, but warned “courageous and compassionate leadership” is needed.
The church leaders said: “Across our community, there is also a growing sense of hopelessness and even despair at the lack of progress.
“For the sake of the most vulnerable in our society, for the sake of the victims of our past, for the sake of children in our schools and for the sake of people who need improved health and social care services, now is the time to find a resolution to the political impasse.”