Sinn Féin Minister for the Communities Deirdre Hargey said today that the cancellation of another North South Ministerial meeting as a result of the failure of DUP ministers to attend is unacceptable and that she challenged this yesterday at the Executive. 

Deirdre Hargey said:

“The North-South ministerial council meeting of ministers due to occur on 31 March to take important decisions on languages was cancelled at the final hour, as no DUP minister took part. 

“I raised the failure of a DUP minister to attend the languages meeting at yesterday’s Executive meeting.

“I made it clear that this was unacceptable.

“The north-south bodies are an integral part of the political institutions created by the Good Friday Agreement.

“When the political institutions were re-established following the New Decade, New Approach agreement that included the north-south dimension.

“Properly functioning North South structures are critical to the successful operation of the Good Friday Agreement framework. Unionist Ministers do not get to cherrypick which meetings or structures they want to participate in, it’s an obligation and must be fulfilled.”