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| Stormont talks: Foster sets out proposal for NI Assembly return | Stormont talks: Foster sets out proposal for NI Assembly return |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster has proposed an immediate restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland along with a parallel, time-limited process to deal with issues around culture and language. | Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster has proposed an immediate restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland along with a parallel, time-limited process to deal with issues around culture and language. |
| Mrs Foster described it as a "common-sense solution" to the ongoing power-sharing deadlock. | Mrs Foster described it as a "common-sense solution" to the ongoing power-sharing deadlock. |
| She was speaking at a party meeting in Belfast. | She was speaking at a party meeting in Belfast. |
| In June, talks between parties failed to restore a power-sharing executive. | In June, talks between parties failed to restore a power-sharing executive. |
| If the parties fail to reach an agreement, Mrs Foster said, then direct rule from London would be the only option. | If the parties fail to reach an agreement, Mrs Foster said, then direct rule from London would be the only option. |
| Mrs Foster said that more talks would be a "waste of time unless there is some new thinking". | Mrs Foster said that more talks would be a "waste of time unless there is some new thinking". |
| She said that the executive should be restored immediately so that ministers can deal with ongoing pressures in areas such as health and education. | She said that the executive should be restored immediately so that ministers can deal with ongoing pressures in areas such as health and education. |
| At the same time, she said, parties should "agree to bring forward legislation to address culture and language issues in Northern Ireland within a time-limited period to be agreed". | At the same time, she said, parties should "agree to bring forward legislation to address culture and language issues in Northern Ireland within a time-limited period to be agreed". |
| Mrs Foster warned that failure to do this "in a way that commands cross-community support" would lead to direct rule from London. | Mrs Foster warned that failure to do this "in a way that commands cross-community support" would lead to direct rule from London. |
| Northern Ireland has been without a functioning devolved government since January, when the coalition led by the two biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, collapsed over a botched green energy scheme. | Northern Ireland has been without a functioning devolved government since January, when the coalition led by the two biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Féin, collapsed over a botched green energy scheme. |
| The late deputy first minister, Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness, stood down in protest against the DUP's handling of an investigation into the scandal, in a move that triggered a snap election in March. | The late deputy first minister, Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness, stood down in protest against the DUP's handling of an investigation into the scandal, in a move that triggered a snap election in March. |
| One of the major sticking points in talks to restore devolved government has been Sinn Féin's demand for an Irish Language Act. | One of the major sticking points in talks to restore devolved government has been Sinn Féin's demand for an Irish Language Act. |
| Earlier this week, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said there would be no Northern Ireland Assembly without an Irish Language Act. | Earlier this week, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said there would be no Northern Ireland Assembly without an Irish Language Act. |
| On Thursday, Mrs Foster acknowledged the need to deal with culture and language, but those matters "should not have a greater priority than health or education or the economy". | |
| "We have nothing to fear from the Irish language not is it any threat to the Union. However what we cannot and will not do is simply agree to one-sided demands," she said. | |
| Mrs Foster also accused Sinn Féin of building "a barrier to the return of Stormont". | Mrs Foster also accused Sinn Féin of building "a barrier to the return of Stormont". |
| "I question whether Sinn Fein is serious about wanting to see an early return of Stormont. This is not an unreasonable question given some of the recent comments from Gerry Adams." | "I question whether Sinn Fein is serious about wanting to see an early return of Stormont. This is not an unreasonable question given some of the recent comments from Gerry Adams." |
| Sinn Féin's NI Assembly leader Michelle O'Neill rejected the DUP's plan. | |
| Mrs O'Neill said the DUP proposal showed they haven't acknowledged the reasons behind the collapse of the Assembly. | |
| "Establishing an Executive that may collapse after a matter of months on the same issues will only fail all our people," she said. |