Real Work Begins Now
Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has arrived in Belfast to commemorate the return of power sharing in Northern Ireland. Following two years of deadlock, devolved government was restored on Saturday. Sunak held talks with First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, emphasizing that the hard work is just beginning.
Positive Day at Stormont
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, also present at Stormont to mark the restoration of devolution, described it as a "very positive day." He and Sunak, whose governments are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement, held a bilateral meeting at Parliament Buildings.
First Meeting of Powersharing Executive
The new powersharing Executive is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday. One of its primary tasks will be to address Northern Ireland's strained finances. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) ended its boycott over post-Brexit trade rules, allowing power sharing to resume. As part of the agreement with the UK Government, £3.3 billion has been pledged to the restored Northern Ireland Executive to stabilize public services and settle public sector pay disputes.
Seeking Sustainable Public Services
However, Stormont ministers have expressed concerns about the current financial package, arguing that it does not provide a sustainable basis for delivering public services. First Minister O'Neill stressed the need for a change in funding to tackle the serious problems in areas such as hospitals and schools. Deputy First Minister Little-Pengelly emphasized the Executive's desire to work with the UK Government to achieve long-term fiscal stability and fulfill promises on public sector pay.
