Speaking after today’s North South Ministerial Council meeting on the environment was prevented by the DUP’s failure to nominate a Minister, Declan Kearney MLA said: 

“Today’s meeting of the North South Ministerial Council on the environment was again prevented from going ahead by the DUP’s failure to attend. 

“This inaction by Minister Edwin Poots and the Executive Office is a serious failure to comply with the law and the Ministerial Code which require Ministers to participate in meetings of the NSMC. 

“The DUP conceded in the court last week that it was acting illegally when they offered no defence to the Justice Schofield’s ruling that their failure to attend these meetings was unlawful.

“These institutions are about joining up services across the island and delivering on important issues which impact on people’s lives such as health, education and millions of pounds in funding. 

“It’s time the DUP put ordinary people’s interests first by ending this illegal boycott of vital government business and get back to work on behalf of everyone in our society.”