FOLLOWING HIS FIRST meeting with Northern Ireland’s political leaders last nigh at UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has said that he is working “flat out” to try and restore the power sharing executive in Northern Ireland.
Speaking during his visit to Belfast, Mr Sunak said: “I am really committed to resolving some of the issues with the (Northern Ireland) protocol, protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the union, in the United Kingdom, and in doing so, restoring the Executive.
“That is what the people in Northern Ireland need and deserve and that is what I am working flat out to try and deliver,” he said.
Sunak said that he has not put a strict deadline on talks between the British government and the EU, and that he doesn’t want to raise people’s expectations of an immediate breakthrough.
He also stated that he does believe that there are parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol which “threaten” Northern Ireland’s place within the union.
“What is of paramount importance to me is protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the union.
“That is what I am setting out to do. If we can do that, we can get the Executive up and running, that is what people need and deserve,” he said, adding that he was not going to give a “running commentary on the ongoing negotiations.
Had the opportunity to meet Rishi Sunak this evening. Impressed upon him the need for immediate action to restore the executive; reach an agreement on the protocol; get the £600 out to households without any further delay and the need for a fair deal on public sector pay.
— Michelle O’Neill (@moneillsf) December 15, 2022
Last night Sunak held informal talks with senior representatives of the main parties at a hotel near Belfast in an effort to make some progress amid the ongoing political impasse at Stormont.
He met all the parties in the same room and spoke to them separately for around 10 to 15 minutes each.
Devolution has been in flux since February when the DUP withdrew its first minister from the ministerial executive in protest at Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol.
Talks between the UK and EU to resolve the impasse over the contentious trading arrangements are continuing with both sides continuing to insist a deal is possible.
The DUP has insisted it will not allow a return to powersharing until radical changes to the protocol are delivered.
The region’s largest unionist party has blocked the formation of a new administration following May’s Assembly election and prevented the Assembly meeting to conduct legislative business as part of its protest over the protocol.
It claims the protocol has undermined Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom by creating economic barriers on trade entering the region from Great Britain.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson was among those who took part in tonight’s talks.
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill, who is in line to become first minister of Northern Ireland if devolution is restored, was also present.
Afterwards, O’Neill said: “I was able to put it to him directly that what we need to see is a deal on the protocol, we need to find an agreed way forward, to work with the EU and to get that done speedily because that is the obstacle as we speak in terms of restoring the executive.”
Earlier the local political leaders met with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris for cross-party talks in Belfast.
One key issue that featured in the discussions in Belfast this morning was the continued uncertainty over when £600 Treasury-funded energy support payments will be rolled out to householders in Northern Ireland.
Speaking after the meeting with Heaton-Harris, DUP leader Donaldson said: “We covered a wide range of issues, including the ongoing negotiations between the UK Government and the European Union.
“There’s very little to report on that.
“We want to see progress made, we want to see a ramping up of these talks, to try and get to a solution.”
Last week, Heaton-Harris cut the pay of MLAs by 27.5% to reflect the fact they are not doing their jobs as legislators.
If a new executive is not formed by 19 January, the UK Government assumes a legal responsibility to call a snap Assembly election by 13 April.
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