Speaking in Belfast today Sinn Fein Uachtarán Mary Lou McDonald said that the public want an Executive, to make people’s lives better, to do our best during this cost of living crisis, to help fix the health service, to build a better future for all our people and for our future generations. 

Mary Lou McDonald said:

“Dia daoibh agus fáilte romhaibh uilig inniu.

Thank you for coming along this afternoon.

In May of this year, people voted for change.

People voted to make politics work.

Sinn Féin received a mandate to go into the Executive and share power with others, and for Michelle O’Neill to be First Minister.

Since day one after the last election, Sinn Féin has been ready to form an Executive.

At a time when workers and families and businesses are suffering from the incredible pressures of the cost of living crisis, when our health service needs fixed and waiting lists tackled, the DUP’s refusal to go into an Executive, their refusal to share power with the other parties, amounts to gross political negligence.

Tá an DUP ag gearradh pionóis ar an phobal.

The DUP is punishing the public.

Inertia, inaction, and do-nothing politics is not acceptable. 

The DUP claim to be committed Devolutionists, yet all they have done is left us at the mercy of the dysfunction at Westminster and the chaotic Tory party. 

The only people who will prioritise the people, businesses and public services here, are locally elected and accountable politicians who unlike the Tories, have a mandate. 

The British Secretary of State has been insistent that come Thursday at one minute past midnight should no First Minister and Deputy First Minister be appointed by an Assembly that he will call another election, which is required of him as the law stands.

However, here with me today is the First Minister elect, Michelle O’Neill who stands ready to join the DUP, UUP and Alliance to form a Government today.  

Today!

Ba mhaith leis an bpobal sin agus tá sé tuillte acu.

MLAs must get to work and do the job they are elected to do.

The Protocol can work better. That is the stated position of the EU, the current British Government, the US administration, the Irish Government and the rest of us support that end, sooner rather than later through a negotiated settlement.

Continuing to block the formation of an Executive, and preventing an Executive doing its best to help people through this extremely difficult time, is unacceptable.

This boycott must end.

Tá mé ag rá leis an DUP inniu, obair linne, obair le chéile, i rialtas, chun saol an phobail a bhisiú, chun ár ndícheall a dhéanamh plé leis an ngéarchéim chostas maireachtála, chun an seirbhís sláinte a cheartú agus chun todhchaí níos fearr a tógáil do gach duine.

So I am saying to the DUP today, Join with us, work with us – together – in an Executive, to make peoples lives better, to do our best during this cost of living crisis, to help fix the health service, to build a better future for all our people and for our future generations. 

This is what the public want and this is what the public deserve.

This is a test of power-sharing.  

The alternative is not Direct Rule from London, but a Joint partnership approach from London and Dublin. And in both scenarios Sinn Féin will be central.

We do not want fractured relationships, we want partnership, co-operation and to make politics work in the interests of all the people, and Michelle O’Neill to be a First Minister for All working with partners in Government.

Next April marks 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement.  

The huge potential this offers to platform the North and the Executive in order to attract further economic investment, good jobs and opportunities must not be missed.”