Talks to restore Northern Ireland executive confirmed in wake of murder of Lyra McKee
2 min read
Talks aimed at restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland are to restart in the wake of the murder of journalist Lyra McKee.
The Irish and UK governments today announced a fresh process of talks involving all the main political parties in Northern Ireland will commence next month, more than two years from when the power-sharing Assembly at Stormont last sat.
In a joint letter, the Theresa May and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “In coming together with other political leaders in St Anne’s Cathedral to pay tribute to Lyra McKee, we gave expression to the clear will and determination of all of the people of these islands to reject violence and to support peace and a better future for everyone in Northern Ireland.
“We also heard the unmistakable message to all political leaders that people across Northern Ireland want to see a new momentum for political progress.
“We agree that what is now needed is actions and not just words from all of us who are in positions of leadership.”
Dissident Republican group the New IRA admitted responsibility for the murder of the 29-year-old investigative journalist in a night of violence in Derry last week.
Speaking in Stormont this afternoon, Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley and Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney expressed the “urgent need” for Northern Ireland to reconvene its devolved assembly.
Talks will begin on 7 May, with a British-Irish intergovernmental conference scheduled for the following day.
Sinn Fein and the DUP previously composed Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, but it collapsed over a botched energy scheme in 2017. Further attempts for talks since have also fallen through.
Ms Bradley said: “The Tánaiste and I will do everything in our power to make those talks a success, but we need Northern Ireland political leaders to do everything they can to ensure we emerge with an agreement, restore the executive and build a better future for the people of Northern Ireland…
“I am determined to ensure we use this opportunity to succeed in doing just that we have a narrow window in which genuine progress can be made and we must act now.”
Mr Coveney warned there should be no pretence it will be a “straight-forward” process, but that in the last few days there has been an appetite to try across all the political parties.
He added: “Two years and counting without an assembly, without an executive and without an North-South ministerial council.
“We are leaving far too much wide open space for other kinds of voices that don’t believe in democracy but that peddle hate and fear.”
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