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Theresa Villiers rules out suspension of Northern Ireland Assembly | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Theresa Villiers has told MPs that despite a request from the DUP, the government does not think the time is right to suspend Northern Ireland's devolved institutions. | |
However, speaking in the Commons, the secretary of state said that if circumstances changed, the government would review its options. | |
A fresh round of "intensive" cross-party talks will begin later. | |
The current crisis followed the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan Snr. | |
He was shot dead in east Belfast on 12 August. The crisis was sparked by a police assessment that IRA members were involved in the murder. | |
In a statement to the House of Commons, Ms Villiers said there were two main sources of political instability - continued paramilitary activity and the failure to implement the Stormont House Agreement. | |
On Monday, the Democratic Unionist Party said there would be no meetings of the Stormont Executive unless the talks reached a satisfactory outcome. | On Monday, the Democratic Unionist Party said there would be no meetings of the Stormont Executive unless the talks reached a satisfactory outcome. |
Ms Villiers said that paramilitary organisations "should never have existed in the first place, they should not exist today and they should disband". | |
She said only parties fully committed to exclusively peaceful means should be allowed to participate in Northern Ireland's political institutions. | |
"I believe that all the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive are committed to those principles, but I am fully aware that the fallout from the murder of Kevin McGuigan and the continued existence of PIRA structures is a cause of grave concern," she said. | |
She said the Stormont House Agreement was the best way to build a better future of Northern Ireland, but that it must be implemented in full. | |
Ms Villiers said without welfare reform being agreed, the budget passed by the executive in June "simply does not add up" and there was a real possibility the Northern Ireland Executive could start running out of money. | |
She added the government was prepared to legislate from Westminster on welfare reform, but only as "a last resort". | |
Arguing that suspending the institutions should be an option, the DUP's Nigel Dodds told the Commons: "Murder has happened, carried out by those who are linked to a party of government - just imagine if that were to happen here." | |
'Same problems' | 'Same problems' |
The Belfast talks will take place at Stormont House. | The Belfast talks will take place at Stormont House. |
Analysis: BBC News NI political editor Mark Devenport | Analysis: BBC News NI political editor Mark Devenport |
The venue is where Ms Villiers and the Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan thought they had resolved the multiple problems facing the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive just before Christmas last year. | The venue is where Ms Villiers and the Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan thought they had resolved the multiple problems facing the Northern Ireland power-sharing executive just before Christmas last year. |
Instead, the two ministers will be back at the same place, tackling the same old problems, plus some pressing new ones. | Instead, the two ministers will be back at the same place, tackling the same old problems, plus some pressing new ones. |
The DUP insisted that, in the wake of Mr McGuigan's murder, Stormont could not go about its business as usual. | The DUP insisted that, in the wake of Mr McGuigan's murder, Stormont could not go about its business as usual. |
So, DUP leader Peter Robinson's announcement that his party will prevent executive ministers meeting around their round table in the coming weeks was predictable. | So, DUP leader Peter Robinson's announcement that his party will prevent executive ministers meeting around their round table in the coming weeks was predictable. |
Whether the negotiations can resolve the continuing arguments over the current status of the IRA, welfare reform or the budget remains far from certain. | Whether the negotiations can resolve the continuing arguments over the current status of the IRA, welfare reform or the budget remains far from certain. |
The Ulster Unionists withdrew from the executive after police said Provisional IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan's killing and that the organisation still existed. | The Ulster Unionists withdrew from the executive after police said Provisional IRA members had a role in Mr McGuigan's killing and that the organisation still existed. |
That was rejected by Sinn Féin - it said the IRA had "gone away". | That was rejected by Sinn Féin - it said the IRA had "gone away". |
But the Ulster Unionists said Sinn Féin's denial that the IRA existed caused a breakdown in trust and it left its government role. | But the Ulster Unionists said Sinn Féin's denial that the IRA existed caused a breakdown in trust and it left its government role. |
The current talks are expected to last four to six weeks. | The current talks are expected to last four to six weeks. |