An opportunity might now exist to overcome the impasse over the Northern Ireland protocol and DUP refusal to allow the Executive to be formed, Sinn Féin deputy leader Michelle O’Neill has said.
Asked if there had been a change in disposition towards these issues since British prime minister Liz Truss appointed a new cabinet, Ms O’Neill said she had a sense there was a window of opportunity at the moment.
“I genuinely believe that people want to take that and find an agreed way forward. The protocol is here to stay. Make it work within the framework of the protocol, iron out the kinks but make it work and then let’s get back to getting around the Executive table and actually supporting people.”
Her remarks came at the National Ploughing Championship in Ratheniska, Co Laois, alongside party leader Mary Lou McDonald.
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Ms McDonald said the important thing at the moment is that all those involved held their nerve.
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“There is no alternative to the protocol. There is no alternative to power sharing and the Executive. We really hope that Liz Truss, as the incoming prime minister, will depart from the antics of her predecessor, Boris Johnson, who really played games with the protocol and with Irish unionism, almost a game of make-believe that somehow you could wish change away when in fact you can’t.
“Will there be a landing zone? Yes, there is. But there has always been a landing zone. The question now is all of us holding our nerve, and those who have been obstructive to actually just come around the table with the rest of us and if that happens, our firm view is actually you can sort all of this out very quickly.”
‘Punished’ by the DUP
Ms O’Neill said it was four months since the Assembly elections and the public was still being “punished” by the DUP.
“We have spoken about the cost of living crisis, the fact that people are anxious about the weeks and months ahead, and we have money to spend in the Executive and we’re not able to do that because the DUP are continuing to punish the public for their own actions.
“We obviously, in the last couple of weeks, have a new prime minister and a new Secretary of State. I’ve made it very clear to them that they need to stop the nonsense, stop pandering to the DUP, encourage them to get around the Executive table and work with the rest of us, that’s put money into people’s pockets and let’s help them get through this period.”
Ms McDonald defended Sinn Féin’s policy on capping energy bills until February at 2021 levels against accusations by Government Ministers it was like issuing a blank cheque.
“That’s not true. Over the last 48 hours, the Netherlands was the most recent country to introduce a measure like this. We have said that for autumn and winter it is essential that people are given breathing room and peace of mind.
“So we want to bring prices back to the 2021 levels before all of this spiral of inflation. And we want to have the cap in place until the end of February. It is a temporary measure, it is an emergency measure, but it is a necessary one,” she said.
