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Sinn Féin warns over threat of welfare cuts in Northern Ireland Sinn Féin warns over threat of welfare cuts in Northern Ireland
(35 minutes later)
Downing Street and Sinn Féin are on a collision course over a government minister’s warning that London will impose austerity cuts on welfare in Northern Ireland. Downing Street and Sinn Féin are on a collision course over a government minister’s warning that London might impose austerity cuts on welfare in Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the Northern Ireland assembly resuming on Monday, Sinn Féin deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, warned against any move by Westminster to implement welfare reforms over the head of the devolved power-sharing executive in Belfast. Ahead of the Northern Ireland assembly’s resumption on Monday, the deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, warned against any move by Westminster to implement welfare reforms over the head of the devolved power-sharing executive in Belfast.
Over the weekend Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, said central government might bring in the reforms to the region’s public sector, which makes up more than 60% of the local economy. Rows over welfare have resulted in the Northern Ireland executive being unable to set a budget. Over the weekend, the Northern Ireland secretary, Theresa Villiers, said London might bring in reforms to the region’s public sector, which makes up more than 60% of the local economy. Rows over welfare have resulted in the Northern Ireland executive being unable to set a budget.
Sinn Féin and the SDLP oppose the welfare cuts which were drawn up in last year’s Stormont House agreement. Unionists claim the nationalist parties reneged on that original agreement at the end of last year which accepted that among other things up to 7,000 civil servants would be made redundant. Sinn Féin and the SDLP oppose the welfare cuts drawn up in last year’s Stormont House agreement. Unionists claim the nationalist parties have reneged on the agreement at the end of last year which accepted that among other things as many as 7,000 civil servants would be made redundant.
Power-sharing and devolution are already hanging by a thread after the murder of ex-IRA assassin Kevin McGuigan in August. The chief constable of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said individual Provisional IRA members were behind the killing and that the organisation still exists – an assessment that has undermined unionist faith in republicans given that PIRA was meant to have been dissolved as a military movement a decade ago. Power-sharing and devolution are already hanging by a thread after the murder of the former IRA assassin Kevin McGuigan in August. The chief constable of Northern Ireland, George Hamilton, said individual Provisional IRA members were behind the killing and that the organisation still exists – an assessment that has undermined unionist faith in republicans, given that PIRA was meant to have been dissolved as a military movement a decade ago.
The threat from Westminster to impose welfare cuts has further deepened the divisions among the parties in the power-sharing coalition.The threat from Westminster to impose welfare cuts has further deepened the divisions among the parties in the power-sharing coalition.
On Sunday Martin McGuinness said: “Any move by the British government to impose its welfare cuts agenda over the heads of the assembly and executive will seriously undermine devolution and the political institutions. It is wrong and unjust to punish those most in need. The parties supporting these Tory policies should reflect on the damage they will do to all our people.” On Sunday, McGuinness said: “Any move by the British government to impose its welfare cuts agenda over the heads of the assembly and executive will seriously undermine devolution and the political institutions. It is wrong and unjust to punish those most in need. The parties supporting these Tory policies should reflect on the damage they will do to all our people.”
However, the first minister and Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson backed the secretary of state’s position on welfare reform. He said: “This move allows the executive to put our finances on a firm and sustainable footing and will lift the prospect of fines running to hundreds of millions of pounds next year.” The first minister and Democratic Unionist leader Peter Robinson backed the secretary of state’s position. He said: “This move allows the executive to put our finances on a firm and sustainable footing and will lift the prospect of fines running to hundreds of millions of pounds next year.”
Robinson said Westminster’s move would allow the executive to introduce a voluntary redundancy scheme for 7,000 civil servants and public sector workers in the region. Robinson said it would allow the executive to introduce a voluntary redundancy scheme for 7,000 civil servants and public sector workers in the region.
Ireland’s foreign minister, Charles Flanagan, tried to sound a more positive note in the face of uncertainty over the future of devolution in Northern Ireland. Referring to talks with parties and the British government last week, Flanagan said he had detected a “steely resolve” among all concerned to save the devolved institutions. He said that “every party is up for talks”. Ireland’s foreign minister, Charles Flanagan, tried to sound a more positive note in the face of uncertainty over the future of devolution in Northern Ireland. Referring to talks with parties and the British government last week, he said he had detected a steely resolve among all concerned to save the devolved institutions.
Speaking at the British-Irish Association in Cambridge on Sunday, Flanagan said: “I have spoken in recent days to the leadership of the executive parties. I have heard very clearly the hurt and frustration that they feel – all of them ... Every party is ‘up for talks’ because – whether they are articulating it or not – every party knows what is at stake: the survival of the power-sharing institutions themselves.” Speaking at the British-Irish Association in Cambridge on Sunday, Flanagan said: “I have spoken in recent days to the leadership of the executive parties. I have heard very clearly the hurt and frustration that they feel, all of them ... Every party is up for talks because, whether they are articulating it or not, every party knows what is at stake - the survival of the power-sharing institutions themselves.”
The row over the McGuigan murder and claims that the PIRA is still armed and killing has already claimed one political casualty over the summer: the exit of the Ulster Unionists from the five-party power-sharing coalition at Stormont. The UUP went into opposition in protest over the McGuigan killing and the chief constable’s assessment that PIRA exists in some form. The row over the McGuigan murder and claims that the PIRA is still armed and killing has already claimed one political casualty over the summer - the exit of the Ulster Unionists from the five-party power-sharing coalition at Stormont. The DUP is under huge pressure from within the unionist community to pull out of power-sharing with Sinn Féin.
The DUP is under huge pressure from within the unionist community to pull out of power-sharing with Sinn Féin in the aftermath of the McGuigan murder. It is as yet unclear yet whether the Northern Ireland executive will actually meet on Monday given the current crisis.
It is unclear yet if the Northern Ireland executive will actually meet on Monday given the current crisis.