Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald TD has said the incoming DUP leader needs to confirm that commitments made will be honoured and implemented. The Sinn Féin leader was speaking after meeting today with DUP leader designate Edwin Poots.

Mary Lou McDonald said: 

“Last January, the five main political parties agreed to re-enter and fully operate all of the political institutions on the basis of agreed commitments set out in the New Decade, New Approach document. This has yet to be done.

“Last week I met with the DUP’s designate leader, Edwin Poots. Mr Poots affirmed his commitment to deliver all the commitments made in the NDNA.

“Today we met again and I told Mr Poots that he needs now to confirm that those commitments will be implemented during the current Assembly mandate, as agreed by the DUP leadership.

“There is also an urgent need for him to confirm unambiguously that the DUP will work in all the political institutions of the Good Friday Agreement – the Assembly, the North South Ministerial Council and the British Irish Council instead of boycotting them.

“All three institutional strands are interlinked and interdependent. One cannot function without the others.

“It is obvious that proper power sharing and all of the other interdependent political institutions will only function on the basis of good faith and an unqualified commitment by every party to honour agreements already made.

“These are the critical priorities which the new DUP leader now must address.”