This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-31798766
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Sinn Féin to oppose welfare bill in Northern Ireland Assembly | Sinn Féin to oppose welfare bill in Northern Ireland Assembly |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness has said the Northern Ireland Assembly is facing a "very serious crisis" over the issue of welfare reform. | |
| His party is to oppose the passage of the welfare bill after accusing the DUP of acting in bad faith on the issue. | |
| Mr McGuinness said it could have "very profound implications" for Northern Ireland's political institutions. | |
| Welfare reform was the issue that threatened the future of power-sharing at Stormont last year. | |
| The five main parties reached broad agreement on 23 December on a number of key issues, including welfare. | The five main parties reached broad agreement on 23 December on a number of key issues, including welfare. |
| It followed 12 weeks of talks involving the NI parties and two governments. | It followed 12 weeks of talks involving the NI parties and two governments. |
| However, Mr McGuinness, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister, said the DUP had reneged on its commitments in the Stormont House Agreement to protect the most vulnerable people in society. | |
| He said: "At Stormont House, the five parties agreed a series of measures to protect the vulnerable and safeguard current and future welfare claimants under the control of the executive. | |
| "However, the DUP have acted in bad faith and are now reneging on their commitments to protect the most vulnerable. It is their intention to provide only partial protection to current recipients of benefit and no protection whatsoever for future claimants. | "However, the DUP have acted in bad faith and are now reneging on their commitments to protect the most vulnerable. It is their intention to provide only partial protection to current recipients of benefit and no protection whatsoever for future claimants. |
| "That is totally unacceptable." | "That is totally unacceptable." |
| He said Sinn Féin was now issuing a petition of concern to try to stop the bill's passage in the assembly. | He said Sinn Féin was now issuing a petition of concern to try to stop the bill's passage in the assembly. |
| Mr McGuinness said his party was talking to assembly members from other parties about this. | Mr McGuinness said his party was talking to assembly members from other parties about this. |
| He described it as a "very serious situation" that could have "profound implications" for both the Stormont House Agreement and the Northern Ireland political institutions. | He described it as a "very serious situation" that could have "profound implications" for both the Stormont House Agreement and the Northern Ireland political institutions. |
| Sinn Féin and the SDLP had opposed welfare reform plans agreed at Westminster, but it had been thought that the issue had been resolved by the Stormont House Agreement. | Sinn Féin and the SDLP had opposed welfare reform plans agreed at Westminster, but it had been thought that the issue had been resolved by the Stormont House Agreement. |
| In agreeing to move forward on welfare reform, the parties in Northern Ireland agreed to introduce a number of new schemes to ensure additional financial support was directed to those set to lose out by changes to the benefits system. | In agreeing to move forward on welfare reform, the parties in Northern Ireland agreed to introduce a number of new schemes to ensure additional financial support was directed to those set to lose out by changes to the benefits system. |