Sinn Féin has sounded a warning on the future of powersharing in Northern Ireland, claiming the “behaviour of the DUP” is “frustrating” delivery.
Senator Conor Murphy claimed powersharing is in a “precarious place”, and that the DUP “don’t have the political will to make it work”.
He insisted his party is “wedded to powersharing”, but that the DUP “is there because they have to be there”.
“The DUP have demonstrated that they don’t have a political will to make the Assembly work and that poses bigger questions for powersharing … the institutions are in a precarious place,” he said.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson hit back saying he and his colleagues are “committed to not only the institutions but delivering for the people we are proud to represent”.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson (Liam McBurney/PA)
“We don’t shy away from the challenges, and nor will we be goaded by that sort of commentary, we’re here today and we’re here every day willing to step up and stand up for the people of Northern Ireland,” he said.
Alliance leader Naomi Long urged all sides to “take a step back, take a deep breath and recognise elections will come and go, and we will still have to do business with each other, but focus for the next nine months on what we can actually achieve”.
The statements came as parties visited Hillsborough Castle for meetings with the new Secretary of State Chris Bryant.
Sir Chris arrived in the region for his first official visit in post on Friday, and visited defence systems plant Thales in east Belfast ahead of meeting the Stormont parties later.
Speaking about his new role, Mr Bryant said he is looking forward to the challenge and said he can be “an honest and fair broker between people who don’t agree on everything”.
Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant and NIO Minister Sarah Owen (Oliver McVeigh/PA)
However he said he was “nervous” about the prospect of “walking on eggshells”, telling media in Belfast: “I think if everybody spends all their time wondering about whether an individual politician is going to say the right thing or put it in the right way, then we’ve all lost.”
Ministers across the four-party Executive have consistently made the point that they need more money from the Treasury to address a funding crisis facing public services in the region.
From Saturday, just 95% of last year’s funding will be available to spend after the Executive passes a deadline to agree a budget under public finance laws.
Stormont Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole had sounded alarms about this deadline, pressing Executive ministers to act to avoid facing this effective funding cut.
Stormont Finance Minister John O’Dowd (Liam McBurney/PA)
Earlier Stormont Finance Minister John O’Dowd said it is “decision time” for the UK Government to properly fund Northern Ireland.
Mr O’Dowd said while Mr Bryant and Chancellor John Healey have recently come into post, their officials are aware of the issues in the region.
Responding to those comments, Mr Bryant said he is not expecting any decisions to be made today around the Stormont budget.