NI Secretary to meet parties as Stormont summer break ends

Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant will hold talks with Stormont parties on Monday as MLAs return to Parliament Buildings following the summer recess.

The resumption of business comes with departments still operating without a budget and against the backdrop of looming Assembly elections in 2027.

A number of ministers face a race against time to get legislation passed before the Assembly is dissolved in March.

Relations between the two largest parties in the powersharing Executive, Sinn Féin and the DUP, have also been strained, with the latest difficulties caused by growing tensions following a High Court ruling over a Parades Commission determination relating to the contentious Drumcree parade.

There will also be a new minister around the Executive table with Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler having recently taken on the health portfolio after his predecessor, Mike Nesbitt, resigned following a disagreement with party leader Jon Burrows.

Sinn Féin whip Sinead Ennis said the talks with the Northern Ireland Secretary would focus on possible Stormont reform.

She said: “Institutional reform can improve transparency, stability and accountability.

“Earlier this year, Sinn Féin launched reform proposals that would build better politics including bringing an end to one party’s ability to block the formation of the Executive and appointment of the Speaker.

“We will discuss these with the British Secretary of State and other parties as we consider how the Executive can deliver better and increase political stability.”

Referring to the challenging financial situation, UUP leader Mr Burrows said the final session of the Assembly mandate “must be defined by delivery, proper scrutiny and a budget process that changes how money is spent, not just how much is asked for”.

He added, “This is the last full session of the mandate, and the temptation will be to rush through legislation simply to claim progress."

“We know where that leads, bad law that must later be repaired, while the public lives with the consequences."

“I would rather this Assembly passed five good Bills than 15 rushed ones.”

SDLP leader Claire Hanna called on Executive parties to use the remaining months of the mandate to “focus on delivery rather than returning to the politics of division and distraction”.

She said, “In recent weeks we are predictably seeing a return to the same sorry diet of division and fear; getting people angry and scared in the hope that they retreat to the biggest tribe, and distracting from the failure to deliver by the Executive."

“That politics has failed people here for too long and it cannot be allowed to define another election.”

She added “We welcome the fact that the Prime Minister and Secretary of State appear to recognise the urgency of preventing another drift towards stand-off and crisis."

“But Monday’s meeting must be about more than managing the latest disagreement."

“It must make clear that things have to change.”