Parties urged to give power-sharing pledge

Conor Burns, the minister of state at the Northern Ireland Office, called on all the parties to promise the voters they will bring back the devolved administration at Stormont.

Speaking at the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly in London yesterday, the minister said: “The last two years have given us a very clear sign that when the Northern Ireland parties work together, much can be achieved.

“We must not allow ourselves by accident or design, to return to a state of political deadlock in which the only people that will suffer will be the people of Northern Ireland themselves.”

Mr Burns continued: “That is why the government is absolutely committed to a return to power-sharing and urges all the parties to commit themselves to power-sharing in the run up to the election on May 5.

“That will be the opportunity of the people of Northern Ireland to elect a new Assembly.

“We passionately believe that decisions taken in Northern Ireland, should be taken by people elected in Northern Ireland and accountable to the people of Northern Ireland at the ballot box.

“A restored Executive will be fundamental in driving economic recovery.”

While acknowledging that the Belfast Agreement has created a more peaceful and stable Northern Ireland there was more work to be done to address the underlying sectarian divisions in society, he added.

Mr Burns said: “We should not live under the illusion that the work is complete.

“When you visit parts of Northern Ireland today, communities still live in the shadow of peace walls. In a very real sense, Northern Ireland lives in a text-based absence of violence and there remains so much to do to build genuine, cross-community understanding and respect.

“When you visit communities in Derry, Strabane, Castlederg and both sides of the divide in Belfast, you see the urgency of that work that still needs to take place.”

l Morning View, page 16