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Michelle O'Neill and Mary Lou McDonald PA Images

Sinn Féin's O'Neill puts pressure on British and Irish governments over Stormont

Sinn Fein emerged as the largest party in the local government elections this week.

SINN FEIN VICE-PRESIDENT Michelle O’Neill has called on the British and Irish governments to deliver a plan to restore the Stormont power-sharing institutions.

It came as her party delivered a stunning success in the council elections, becoming the largest party in local government in Northern Ireland for the first time.

O’Neill said there now needed to be an urgent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to plot a route to restore the Assembly.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said voters had endorsed his party’s position of keeping the power-sharing institutions down until concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol are addressed.

Following a lengthy count process stretching into Sunday morning across 11 council areas, Sinn Fein emerged with 144 seats, an increase of 39 from the last council election in 2019.

The republican party replicated its result in the Assembly election last year when it became the largest party at Stormont.

The DUP has reinforced its position as the dominant force in unionism by winning 122 seats, the same number as in 2019.

The cross-community Alliance Party increased its representation on councils by winning 67 seats, an increase of 14.

It was a disappointing election for the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP, with both parties suffering significant losses.

Sinn Fein secured 30.9% of first preference votes, ahead of the DUP on 23.3%, 13.3% for Alliance, 10.9% for the Ulster Unionists and 8.7% for the SDLP.

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The elections took place against the backdrop of the Stormont stalemate, with the power-sharing institutions not operating as part of a DUP protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements.

“We suspected from early on that we would do well given the response that we were getting from the voters, but obviously we have gone on to have a momentous election result,” Ms O’Neill told RTE.

She added: “We haven’t had power-sharing now for a year-and-a-half.

“The DUP walked away because they said they wanted to influence the (Northern Ireland) Protocol discussions and negotiations.

“Those negotiations are now complete, so there is no rhyme nor reason for them to stay out of having a locally-elected Assembly and executive delivering good public services for people.

“I am now calling on both governments, as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, the Irish Government and the British Government, to come together to establish a meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference to come up with a plan for the restoration of the Assembly because all the while when the DUP stay out of the Executive and the Assembly public services are suffering, the public are suffering because of austerity, because of cuts that are coming directly from London.

“It is not a tolerable situation, there shouldn’t be any more delays and I want to see a plan on the table as to how we are going to get back around the table to make politics work and to have a locally elected Assembly.”

She added: “Top of the DUP manifesto in this election was that they wanted to restore the Executive, they asked people to vote for them to get back into the Assembly.

Now there shouldn’t be any delay; let’s do that.”

Buckley said holding the same number of seats had been a “extraordinary result” for the DUP.

He told the BBC: “We see a bullying attitude from the Secretary of State, a gang-up from other political parties and a media narrative which laid all blame at the DUP’s door.

“Evidently, the voters have come out and backed the DUP, and backed them strongly.”

He added that his party wanted to see a return of Stormont but it needed to be on a “sustainable” basis.

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He said: “It was the number one issue on our campaign manifesto, to restore devolution on a sustainable and long-term basis, and that requires nationalist and unionist consent, because it serves nobody’s interests if we have stop-start devolution on a short-term basis.

“We have stood up to the bullying and bad deals, we have put ourselves forward to get a fair and balanced outcome that can restore devolution on a long-term and sustainable basis. As long as it takes, it’s about getting it right.”

Mr Buckley said the nationalist vote was coalescing around Sinn Fein and added that unionist voters wanted to see their parties working together to maximise results.

Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson said it had been a fantastic election for his party and said the message was that the Assembly must return.

He said: “Almost 75% of people who cast their first preference votes voted for parties who want to get back to work and I think it is time the DUP reflect on that, listen to what the public are telling them and move on.

“What people want is the Assembly restored and delivering for them, that needs to happen on Monday morning.”

SDLP MP Claire Hanna said her party had suffered a disappointing result but was in a process of modernisation.

She said: “There isn’t any politics around at the moment in the absence of an Assembly, we are not talking about changing people’s lives, about bread and butter issues, and we believe that when governance and outcomes return to politics that that context will better favour the SDLP.

“We are turning around years, possibly decades, of failure to modernise and that requires all hands on deck. A different leader couldn’t have got the DUP back into government, a different leader couldn’t have really matched the financial resources of other parties.”

She added: “We know what needs to happen. The DUP need to take their courage, they need to lead and to give the people of Northern Ireland what they want, and that is governance.”

Ulster Unionist councillor Philip Smith said the challenge for unionist parties was the low turnout of voters.

He said: “The two key statistics of this election were when you compare 2019 unionism had 44% of the vote, that has now dropped to 39% and nationalism is on a par with unionism and I think we need to reflect on that, we need unionism as a whole to think how it grows its offering.

“There is definitely a pro-union majority still in Northern Ireland, the challenge is it is not coming out for political unionism.”

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    Mute Dan Dare
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    May 21st 2023, 10:57 PM

    The lack of coverage in the British media is deafening. Literally nobody cares. This is democracy at work. Goodnight.

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    Mute SF equals ShitforFree
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:30 AM

    @Dan Dare: Front page news Guardian

    55
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    Mute GERARD KENNELLY
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    May 22nd 2023, 7:25 AM

    @Dan Dare:

    IRA cheerleader has called on the British government to deliver

    you really expect the British media to cover that ?

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:21 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: Amazing how the British/ Irish media will sprout about democracy…Of course it their version of Democracy that counts….The fact SF is now the biggest party in the six counties seems not to fit in with the media’s version of Democracy.

    18
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    Mute M Bowe
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:23 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: you like the journal seem to have a psychological difficulty in giving Michelle her proper democratically mandated title. FIRST MINISTER designate. Try repeating several times it’ll grow on you

    25
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    Mute Cable Stayed
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    May 21st 2023, 11:59 PM

    It’s still more or less 50/50 nationalist to unionist, so no real change. The alliance in the middle ground has become a little bigger which is always a good thing and the more moderate factions of the SDLP and UUP lost which isn’t a good thing. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

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    Mute Nigel Hayden
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:15 AM

    @Cable Stayed: but only the DUP are saying no. Here in our glorious republic it’s bring reported as two extremes which is bollox

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    Mute Cable Stayed
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    May 22nd 2023, 1:12 AM

    @Nigel Hayden: The DUP say no because they don’t want anything to change, Sinn Fein want everything to change…..that’s two extremes is it not? The moderates like the Alliance party want to get on with everyday life and forget about the impossible all or nothing politics.

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    Mute M Bowe
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:27 PM

    @Cable Stayed: Sinn Fein want change, but are ready and willing to deliver everyday government while working towards that change. That’s democracy not extremism. DUP don’t want change, ignore democratic mandates and book everyday government, that is extreme intransigence.

    14
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    Mute Robert Halvey
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    May 22nd 2023, 3:01 AM

    The DUP politics of fear and hate is dragging the deluded to the gutter

    91
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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    May 22nd 2023, 6:46 AM

    @Robert Halvey: If only it was that simple Robert.

    18
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    Mute GERARD KENNELLY
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    May 22nd 2023, 7:57 AM

    @Robert Halvey:

    “The sinn féin IRA mentality poisons the next generation ”

    - Micheál Martin

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:24 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: Michael Martin and Varadkar are fighting for their political lives…They only reason the went into coalition was to preserve the status quo .

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    Mute itzme
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    May 21st 2023, 11:10 PM

    About time ffg started running in elections up north.

    51
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    Mute William slevin
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    May 21st 2023, 11:11 PM

    @itzme: I’d love to see thar….it’d be great craic…lol

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    Mute Mona Murphy
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:18 AM

    @itzme: they wouldnt get one seat

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    Mute GERARD KENNELLY
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    May 22nd 2023, 7:33 AM

    @Mona Murphy:

    as opposed to getting seats then refusing to take them ?

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    Mute Colm O'Leary
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    May 22nd 2023, 8:02 AM

    @itzme: why, do you remember the last election? They could barely form any sort of government they had so few seats each. Sun fein had the most voted in Ireland. They only got in because of our second third and tenth preference votes system. If sin rein had only run more candidates.

    37
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    Mute Seoirse Ó Staighe
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    May 22nd 2023, 9:47 AM

    @itzme: I thought they were running… didn’t they amalgamate with the SDLP some time back when MMartin and a few of his True Believers snuck across the border into Derry to canvas for Eastwood, but only in the leafy suburbs.. wonder how is that going for them

    28
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    Mute James Beattie
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:20 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: SF promised their voters they would not take seats in Westminster if they were elected and they have kept their promises to the electorate. You seem surprised that a party keeps their election promises. You won’t be a FF man by any chance? It’s part of FF DNA to break election promises.

    16
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    Mute M Bowe
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    May 22nd 2023, 12:32 PM

    @GERARD KENNELLY: no one gets seats THEN refuse to take them. SF clearly and consistently state they will not be taking seats in Westminster BEFORE an election. Unlike Micheal Martin who clearly stated he wouldn’t be joining FG in coalition before last election. Glad to clear up your confusion.

    14
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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    May 22nd 2023, 1:38 PM

    @itzme: FF tried to enter six county politics a few years ago…luckily they made no inroads…People saw them for what they are .

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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    May 22nd 2023, 6:45 AM

    @William slevin: Any “harassment” you get is because of the way you conduct yourself. Have a bit of manners and you’ll be fine.
    While you’re at it, review your posts before pushing the send button, I have never seen so many spelling mistakes in one post!!

    51
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    Mute William slevin
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    May 22nd 2023, 11:23 AM

    @ establishment loyalist fascist grammer nazi Justin Gobbles:

    Your one to talk…half your comments are of insults and derision towards others….would you cop on and be more self aware of your own behaviour….see your protected because you goose step with the establishment narrative were as I do not and well you’s establishment loyalist fascists can’t have anything resembling the truth being told around this town….so yous mass false report my comments to get the deleted and me banned to suppress….by the way how is that going I’ve been banned over 60 times because of you’s lol

    As for the spelling mistakes their great craic it how much it annoys the grammar nazis…

    Now report back to your furher xD

    16
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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    May 22nd 2023, 3:00 PM

    @William slevin: Take a bow William, that is the most colourful thing I have ever been called on journal.ie.
    Your head must be a truly wondrous place to inhabit.

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    Mute SolidSid
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    May 22nd 2023, 11:29 AM

    Great progress from the most supported political party in the country by a long way. Democracy in action. All the more pleasing to see the saltiness from the enraged FFers.. quoting Michael Martin as an authority on truth lol.. the FF politicians around here could form a drink-drivers anonymous club.. and I don’t mean ‘reformed’.

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    Mute briar
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    May 22nd 2023, 11:33 AM

    Come out ye Black and Tans, come out and fight me like a man, Show your wife how you won medals down in Flanders, Tell them how the IRA made you run like hell away From the green and lovely lanes of Killashandra.

    20
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    Mute John McGovern
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    May 22nd 2023, 2:55 PM

    Don’t know why media don’t get it. DUP will not go into the Assembly under a Sinn Fein First Minister. Period!! They will always come up with some silly excuse re NI Protocol or any other stupid reason not to enter the Assembly.
    Yet nobody asks the the simple question: “You can put forward all the excuses you like, but isn’t it true that you will not serve with a Sinn Fein First Minister or Sinn Fein majority in Stormont?”
    A DUP rep on Morning Ireland this morning was asked a series of questions about The Protocol and he was allowed to give the usual waffle answers instead of being questioned about that central point. Come on media, wake up and ask intelligent questions or do you just need to fill ten minutes with pointless waffle.

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    Mute William slevin
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    May 22nd 2023, 5:37 PM

    @ establishment loyalist fascist grammer nazi Justin Gobbles:

    It is a wondrous place

    ; )

    1
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