[https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/stormont-to-be-abolished-in-the-longer-term-but-remain-during-transition-to-new-ireland-mary-lou-mcdonald-suggests-IUNNKQOEWRF6DNQSVMQQUZKM74/](https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/stormont-to-be-abolished-in-the-longer-term-but-remain-during-transition-to-new-ireland-mary-lou-mcdonald-suggests-IUNNKQOEWRF6DNQSVMQQUZKM74/)
## Sinn Féin leader cautions against major reform of veto power of largest parties
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald believes the Stormont assembly may continue operating in the transition to a new Ireland, but suggested ultimately it will be abolished.
In the shorter term, the Dublin TD said discussions should happen over reform of the veto power of the largest parties nearly two years after the DUP collapsed the Executive.
But Ms McDonald added that the foundations of power sharing, including parity of esteem, cannot be disturbed, suggesting she is against fundamental change to the veto power.
On whether Stormont should continue to operate in a united Ireland, Ms McDonald told the Sunday Business Post: “I can see arguments on both sides of the question.”
She said: “For me in in the medium and long term, the premium needs to be placed on government being efficient and effective. So I do not believe that we simply should have duplication for the sake of it. So that would be important.”
“What I want is a system of governance that is very connected with people, that’s accessible, that is transparent for people, and that is efficient and delivers. We do not want to create more layers of bureaucracy, or more barriers to efficient decision making and delivery island wide.”
Ms McDonald added: “”Could you envisage a transitional scenario where you would have the Stormont assembly for a period of time? Maybe. We’d have to examine all of those questions.”
The Sinn Féin leader was also questioned over the veto power of the largest parties, and ability to collapse the Executive and Assembly. The DUP is blocking Stormont from operating, while Sinn Féin’s 2017 walk out ultimately led to a three-year hiatus.
She described inclusion and cross-community consent as being “still a very necessary part of politics north of the border”.
“I think the conversation about reform has to happen. But we need to be mindful that the bedrocks of power sharing around parity of esteem and inclusion, that those foundations aren’t disturbed,” Ms McDonald said.
“The protections are in the system for a reason . . . I think that inclusion is still a very necessary part of politics north of the border.
“I think it’s timely and I think it’s an important conversation. But we need to have the conversation with our eyes wide open, and not throw out the baby with the bathwater.”
by Constant__18
8 comments
“Sinn Féin leader cautions against major reform of veto power of largest parties” funny that. SF/DUP are two sides of the same coin. Both happy to hold the country to ransom while everyone suffers. Time to let the moderates rule now that people are waking up to their divide and conquer tactics.
These are the conversations that need to happen if reunification is ever to happen. Weve seen what a sudden departure from political norms does
Jamie?! Where are ya?
That wouldn’t work, each of the 4 provinces should get their own parliament with significant powers and have a federal govt in Dublin to just deal with foreign policy.
[deleted]
No this is a fucking terrible idea the Dáil forgets that the country exists outside of the Dublin metro area half the time already, adding more land that they will neglect in favour of the Dublin area is not the solution. I’m in favour of reunification but pretending that NI will just be able to be ran like any other part of the country is just a delusion. If it were up to me Ireland would move from a unitary country to a federal one, with each of the 4 provinces (and probably Belfast and Dublin as city states) acting as their ownl states vis a vis Germany or the US. Each with their own devolved powers and parliments under a federal system.
Stormont has many, many fucking issues but its better we keep it, stormont reform is and should be pursued, but just scrapping northern autonomy and self governance altogether is absolutley the worst fucking solution to our issues long term. The north simply just isn’t like the rest of the country, but the same way I would hate if we were directly ruled from London, direct rule from Duvlin also wouldn’t benefit us.
In the same week the disappeared & Kelly make the news for his past no less lol, starting to think she genuinely believes the stuff she says these days.
Wow finally. Platitudes as high as any blue pallet on the 10th of July. But then again empty rhetoric will hit true with the shinnerbots as if it was the master plan all along. But there is one interesting part of this that will be over looked and that is the NEW Ireland part. Wonder what that’s to look like? Or is that not going to be a vote winner with the normies north or south?