Pressure grows for Northern Ireland election date
Efforts are underway to restore the Northern Ireland assembly as the anniversary of its closure draws near.
The SDLP has called for the Government to take a lead and ensure that the summer stalemate does not drift into autumn. This follows news that republicans have ruled out further initiatives until a date is set for fresh elections.
It has also been reported that republicans are preparing a legal challenge to the Government decision not to set a new date following the cancellation of May’s elections, which occurred following the ongoing stalemate between Unionists and republicans over decommissioning.
Former SDLP Minister Carmel Hanna stated: ‘As the summer comes to a close it is essential that the British Government has firm plans in place in order to ensure that the situation here is not allowed to drift into autumn. The first thing the British Government must do is set a date for the Assembly elections.’
The Government has regularly suggested that the peace process must move forward to avoid failure. And it appears to have conducted a series of meetings over the summer.
The Prime Minister met with Sinn Fein leaders recently, and the republican party has recently announced that it has held talks with the British, Irish and American administrations.
Tony Blair is also due to meet with Ireland’s premier Bertie Ahern in the coming days. Yesterday Gerry Adams MP met UUP leader David Trimble.
Mr Adams refused to go into the details of the meeting, but said: ‘There is also a need to ensure that the institutions will be sustained and that outstanding aspects of the Good Friday Agreement will be completed. Unionists have concerns as well of course and all of this argues for a collective effort.’
However, unionists are still pushing the issue of disarmament, claiming that republicans must face exclusion from Stormont if they fail to ‘dump arms’. This will continue to be a cause of tension between the two sides, and remains the biggest block to restoring regional governance.
