Jonathan Bell defends DUP's 'in-out' ministers policy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-politics-34456694

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The Enterprise Minister, Jonathan Bell, has defended the DUP's policy of "in-out" ministers during a debate on legislation to deregulate credit unions.

Mr Bell was temporarily reinstated as minister to put forward the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill in the Assembly.

He said the legislation would give "greater operational flexibility" to credit unions and to industrial and provident societies.

The bill will enable credit unions to offer shares which entitle holders to interest rather than a dividend.

There are a number of other measures.

These include allowing credit unions to offer membership to groups rather than just individuals.

Embarrassing

DUP ministers are resigning and being reinstated for a few hours each week for the duration of talks aimed at resolving the political crisis.

SDLP MLA Fearghal McKinney said Mr Bell "should be embarrassed" by the DUP's policy.

He said: "How can you do business if the chief executive officer is not in the boardroom?"

But concluding the debate, Mr Bell said that it was "shameful" that no MLA had mentioned the murder of Kevin McGuigan.

He said that anyone who thought there could be "business as usual" was "deluding themselves and not serving the interests of jobs and employment in Northern Ireland".

Mr Bell resigned along with several other DUP ministers as a result of the political crisis at Stormont.

It was triggered following a police assessment that IRA members were involved in the murder of a former IRA man in Belfast in August.

Sinn Féin said the IRA has gone away and is not coming back.