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Alliance leader David Ford calls for Stormont "reboot" Alliance leader David Ford calls for Stormont "reboot"
(about 11 hours later)
The Alliance leader David Ford has called for a "reboot" of the Stormont system to prevent what he described as the cycle of crises that have affected political progress in recent months.The Alliance leader David Ford has called for a "reboot" of the Stormont system to prevent what he described as the cycle of crises that have affected political progress in recent months.
He said the decision by unionist parties to walk out of talks had created a crisis over parading.He said the decision by unionist parties to walk out of talks had created a crisis over parading.
He wants to see a voluntary coalition and an opposition brought in and the petition of concern system replaced.He wants to see a voluntary coalition and an opposition brought in and the petition of concern system replaced.
Mr Ford said the changes would make the political system here more stable.Mr Ford said the changes would make the political system here more stable.
"It's absolutely clear at the present time if you look at all the difficulties we have dealing with budget issues arising from welfare reform, the kind of problems I've seen in the justice department over the National Crime Agency, a general issue about how we get coherent government, it's clear that we're now seeing the problems with the system we inherited since Good Friday 1998," he said."It's absolutely clear at the present time if you look at all the difficulties we have dealing with budget issues arising from welfare reform, the kind of problems I've seen in the justice department over the National Crime Agency, a general issue about how we get coherent government, it's clear that we're now seeing the problems with the system we inherited since Good Friday 1998," he said.
He said the decision by the DUP and UUP to walk out on the all-party talks last week was not the "only crisis" that Stormont was facing.He said the decision by the DUP and UUP to walk out on the all-party talks last week was not the "only crisis" that Stormont was facing.
"There is a failure to agree a way forward on welfare reform which if not addressed will have dire financial consequences across all public services."There is a failure to agree a way forward on welfare reform which if not addressed will have dire financial consequences across all public services.
"The parties have failed to address the key problems facing our schools."The parties have failed to address the key problems facing our schools.
"We have handed money back to Europe over the Maze peace and reconciliation centre and the Narrow Water Bridge. The policy to build a united community remains incomplete and half-hearted."We have handed money back to Europe over the Maze peace and reconciliation centre and the Narrow Water Bridge. The policy to build a united community remains incomplete and half-hearted.
"Their dysfunction is costing Northern Ireland dearly and will seriously impact on the future of all of us.""Their dysfunction is costing Northern Ireland dearly and will seriously impact on the future of all of us."
Mr Ford, who is also justice minster, suggested a number of proposals to secure a "better functioning and more stable" political system in Northern Ireland.Mr Ford, who is also justice minster, suggested a number of proposals to secure a "better functioning and more stable" political system in Northern Ireland.
These include:These include:
'Only just woken up'
Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt asked whether Mr Ford had "only just woken up to the fact that aspects of how business is done in Assembly are in need of reform?"
"The Ulster Unionist Party has made serious contributions to the debate on two of these issues in particular, with Lord Empey attempting to have structures put in place to allow for a formal opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly through his work in the Lords during the passage of the Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill earlier this year," he said.
"It was also our preference that the assembly and Executive Review Committee carry out a review of the petition of concern, with the report completed in March this year.
"However we remain frustrated that this mechanism is increasingly not being used as it was intended - to ensure that one community does not ignore the needs of another - and instead being used more and more frequently to block issues that don't particularly affect one community more than another."