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| Deal reached for Northern Ireland power-sharing talks | Deal reached for Northern Ireland power-sharing talks |
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| An agreement has been reached to establish a new round of talks involving all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, the UK and Irish prime ministers, Theresa May and Leo Varadkar, have said in a joint statement. | An agreement has been reached to establish a new round of talks involving all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, the UK and Irish prime ministers, Theresa May and Leo Varadkar, have said in a joint statement. |
| The public clamour for political progress following the killing of the journalist Lyra McKee encouraged both governments to launch a fresh attempt to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland, they said in a statement released on Friday afternoon. | The public clamour for political progress following the killing of the journalist Lyra McKee encouraged both governments to launch a fresh attempt to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland, they said in a statement released on Friday afternoon. |
| “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,” the statement 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,” the statement said. |
| “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.” | “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.” |
| The new process would involve all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, together with the UK and Irish governments, it said. | The new process would involve all the main political parties in Northern Ireland, together with the UK and Irish governments, it said. |
| “The aim of these talks is quickly to re-establish to full operation the democratic institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement - the NI executive, assembly and north-south ministerial council - so that they can effectively serve all of the people for the future.” | “The aim of these talks is quickly to re-establish to full operation the democratic institutions of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement - the NI executive, assembly and north-south ministerial council - so that they can effectively serve all of the people for the future.” |
| The Northern Ireland secretary, Karen Bradley, and the Irish foreign minister, Simon Coveney, were due to unveil details at a joint press conference in Belfast later on Friday. | |
| The announcement comes a week after the killing of McKee, which has sparked widespread calls to end the political impasse that has left Northern Ireland without a functioning government for more than 800 days. | The announcement comes a week after the killing of McKee, which has sparked widespread calls to end the political impasse that has left Northern Ireland without a functioning government for more than 800 days. |
| Bradley and Coveney will ask political parties to resume talks at Stormont, the site of the mothballed assembly, “as soon as possible” after local elections on 2 May, according to the statement from May and Varadkar. | Bradley and Coveney will ask political parties to resume talks at Stormont, the site of the mothballed assembly, “as soon as possible” after local elections on 2 May, according to the statement from May and Varadkar. |
| Theprime minister and taoiseach, who both attended McKee’s funeral in Belfast on Wednesday, also agreed that there should be a meeting of the British-Irish intergovernmental conference to consider east-west relations, security cooperation and political stability in Northern Ireland. | Theprime minister and taoiseach, who both attended McKee’s funeral in Belfast on Wednesday, also agreed that there should be a meeting of the British-Irish intergovernmental conference to consider east-west relations, security cooperation and political stability in Northern Ireland. |
| Father Magill is right: Lyra McKee’s shocking death must not be in vain | Kathryn Gaw | Father Magill is right: Lyra McKee’s shocking death must not be in vain | Kathryn Gaw |
| Power sharing between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) collapsed in January 2017 amid disputes over the Irish language and a renewable heating scheme that reflected deep mistrust and acrimony. | Power sharing between Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) collapsed in January 2017 amid disputes over the Irish language and a renewable heating scheme that reflected deep mistrust and acrimony. |
| Brexit-fuelled uncertainty over Northern Ireland’s border with the Republic of Ireland and its future within the UK have hampered efforts to restore devolved government, leaving civil servants to run what some have called a “zombified” administration. | Brexit-fuelled uncertainty over Northern Ireland’s border with the Republic of Ireland and its future within the UK have hampered efforts to restore devolved government, leaving civil servants to run what some have called a “zombified” administration. |
| The New IRA is the biggest of the dissident republican groups operating in Northern Ireland. It has been linked with four murders, including the shooting of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry in April 2019. | The New IRA is the biggest of the dissident republican groups operating in Northern Ireland. It has been linked with four murders, including the shooting of journalist Lyra McKee in Derry in April 2019. |
| The group is believed to have formed between 2011 and 2012 after the merger of a number of smaller groups, including the Real IRA, which was behind the 1998 Omagh bombing. | The group is believed to have formed between 2011 and 2012 after the merger of a number of smaller groups, including the Real IRA, which was behind the 1998 Omagh bombing. |
| Its presence is strongest in Derry, north and west Belfast, Lurgan in County Armagh, and pockets of Tyrone, including Strabane. | Its presence is strongest in Derry, north and west Belfast, Lurgan in County Armagh, and pockets of Tyrone, including Strabane. |
| In January 2019 the group was responsible for a car bomb outside the courthouse in Derry. The explosives-laden car was left on Bishop Street on a Saturday night, and scores of people, including a group of teenagers, had walked past before it detonated. | In January 2019 the group was responsible for a car bomb outside the courthouse in Derry. The explosives-laden car was left on Bishop Street on a Saturday night, and scores of people, including a group of teenagers, had walked past before it detonated. |
| The New IRA also claimed responsibility for a number of package bombs posted to targets in London and Glasgow in March 2019. | The New IRA also claimed responsibility for a number of package bombs posted to targets in London and Glasgow in March 2019. |
| The fatal shooting of McKee by a New IRA gunman while she was observing rioting in Derry prompted an outpouring of grief and calls for parties to work together to ensure her death was not in vain. | The fatal shooting of McKee by a New IRA gunman while she was observing rioting in Derry prompted an outpouring of grief and calls for parties to work together to ensure her death was not in vain. |
| Mourners at her funeral gave a standing ovation when Fr Martin Magill urged political leaders to end the stalemate – a rebuke that went viral. | Mourners at her funeral gave a standing ovation when Fr Martin Magill urged political leaders to end the stalemate – a rebuke that went viral. |
| However, there is some scepticism that unionist and nationalist leaders will overcome their differences in the short term. | However, there is some scepticism that unionist and nationalist leaders will overcome their differences in the short term. |
| Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, and Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Féin leader, spent much of Thursday trading barbs and reiterating entrenched positions. | Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, and Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Féin leader, spent much of Thursday trading barbs and reiterating entrenched positions. |
| Foster repeated her offer of a twin-track approach that would restore devolution to deal with urgent problems in the health service, education and other sectors, and deal separately with problematic issues such as same-sex marriage and the Irish language. | Foster repeated her offer of a twin-track approach that would restore devolution to deal with urgent problems in the health service, education and other sectors, and deal separately with problematic issues such as same-sex marriage and the Irish language. |
| She said the DUP could not accede to all Sinn Féin demands, describing such a scenario as a “5-0 victory”. | She said the DUP could not accede to all Sinn Féin demands, describing such a scenario as a “5-0 victory”. |
| McDonald, speaking in a separate media interview, said Sinn Féin would not “capitulate” on an Irish language act, saying there was nothing trivial about insisting on equality and rights. | McDonald, speaking in a separate media interview, said Sinn Féin would not “capitulate” on an Irish language act, saying there was nothing trivial about insisting on equality and rights. |
| One Irish government source said both parties were keen to avoid blame for the continued stalemate in the wake of McKee’s death but balked at making concessions. | One Irish government source said both parties were keen to avoid blame for the continued stalemate in the wake of McKee’s death but balked at making concessions. |
| Smaller parties are keen to return to Stormont. | Smaller parties are keen to return to Stormont. |
| “It is totally irresponsible for politicians to not come together,” said Colum Eastwood, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour party. “There is no issue more important than political stability.” | “It is totally irresponsible for politicians to not come together,” said Colum Eastwood, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour party. “There is no issue more important than political stability.” |
| Northern Irish politics | Northern Irish politics |
| Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland |
| Democratic Unionist party (DUP) | Democratic Unionist party (DUP) |
| Sinn Féin | Sinn Féin |
| Ireland | Ireland |
| Europe | Europe |
| Devolution | Devolution |
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