Stormont crisis: Devolution deal no closer despite finance talks, says DUP

8 December 2023, 07:34 GMT

Updated 3 hours ago

Image source, Charles McQuillan

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DUP MP Gavin Robinson said Stormont’s finances need addressed to provide for sustainable devolution

A deal to restore devolution is no closer despite planned roundtable talks about Stormont’s finances, the DUP deputy leader has said.

Gavin Robinson added the DUP will join Monday’s discussions with the Northern Ireland secretary and other parties.

There has been speculation over whether it will strike a deal with the government to restore power-sharing.

However, Mr Robinson said the government needed to completely change its approach.

The DUP collapsed Northern Ireland’s power-sharing executive in February 2022 when then-first minister Paul Givan resigned.

They have protested against post-Brexit trade arrangements for Northern Ireland, which the DUP has argued undermines Northern Ireland’s position in the UK internal market.

It has also blocked the election of an Assembly Speaker on a number of occasions.

On Friday, Mr Robinson told BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster it was also important that Northern Ireland’s financial situation was addressed to “provide a sustainable basis for devolution”.

‘Patience has run out’

Sinn Féin’s Conor Murphy said the DUP did not appear to be “in any hurry” to resolve its talks with the government.

“It’s clear that patience has run out,” the former Stormont finance minister continued.

Image source, Brian Lawless/PA WIRE

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Conor Murphy said patience had run out and called for devolution to be restored

“It has run out among the other political parties, among the public some time back. Clearly now patience has run out with the British government.

“They need to bring this endless merry-go-round of private dialogue with the DUP to a close so that we get to a decision point.

“The public who elected us all to do a job, the people who run our public services are all suffering as a result.”

The Northern Ireland Office invitation to talks at Hillsborough Castle on Monday was issued to the five largest parties at Stormont.

When you’re covering politics in Northern Ireland there is one thing Santa never fails to deliver – Christmas talks.

And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been bad or good.

Sure enough this year it is all-party talks at Hillsborough, a sure signal our devolution hiatus is coming to an end – or is it?

Top of many people’s Christmas list is a deal between the DUP and the government.

Optimism has never been so high but there’s no sign of anyone or anything coming down the chimney just yet.

As with many people’s festive plans money is featuring heavily – Stormont’s finances are in a dire state.

But DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson needs more than that if he’s to persuade the doubters in his own ranks.

He may have it, in which case he’s got a selling job to do and not much time to do it.

As Chris Heaton-Harris says were in “the final final stages” but don’t leave out the carrots and mince pies just yet.

Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said a deadline should be set for a return to power-sharing.

“This week there’s been an indication that the government have done what they can and it’s now up to the DUP to decide whether it’s enough,” she said.

“Whether or not we get the assembly up and running – and I sincerely hope we can – we have to deal with the financial crisis that’s facing our public services.”

Image caption,

Stormont has been without a power-sharing executive since February 2022

Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said a public sector pay rise should be a short-term priority.

“There needs to be direct intervention that comes from the treasury in regards to that,” he told BBC News NI.

Mr Beattie said “all options” should be looked at to plug Northern Ireland’s public service black hole.

Social Democratic and Labour Party MP Claire Hanna said there are “deep issues” in Northern Ireland’s public services which need to be resolved.

“These are much more important, frankly, than whatever the DUP are talking about,” she said.

“Overspends have got even worse without ministers, which underlines the fact there is a mismatch between what we need to spend and the funding available.”

Pay awards

While the invite relates to the future of Northern Ireland’s finances, parties are likely to look for clarity about where discussions are at to get power-sharing restored.

It is up to the secretary of state to set a budget for Northern Ireland while there is no executive.

Mr Heaton-Harris did so for 2023/24 back in April but it saw Stormont departments facing difficult decisions and having to implement some cuts.

The secretary of state has also been urged by various health, education and transport unions to take action on pay awards in recent months.

He maintains he does not have powers to act in this area, and in recent weeks different unions have gone on strike or notified the public of upcoming strike action.