Adams blames DUP for stalemate

1:19am Friday 25th July 2008

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams accused the DUP of pushing Northern Ireland's power-sharing government toward crisis.

The West Belfast MP claimed the failure of the main unionist party to engage with republicans on key issues was the root cause of the current political stalemate.

The Stormont Executive has not met for a month with the cancellation of a scheduled meeting fuelling claims that the two leading parties cannot agree on issues such as the devolution of policing and justice and an Irish language act.

Mr Adams laid the blame squarely at the door of elements within First Minister Peter Robinson's party, which he claimed were only interested in forwarding their own narrow agendas.

"There are difficulties which need resolution if a crisis is to be avoided," he said. "In early June the DUP committed to a process of negotiations to resolve all of the outstanding matters - and these go beyond the issues of the transfer of powers on policing and justice and an Irish language act.

"Essentially these are about getting, as required by the agreements, a fully functioning and cohesive government delivering on all issues which effect citizens in their daily lives on the basis of equality.

"The fact is that despite all Sinn Fein's efforts there has not been a proper engagement or process, and these issues have not been satisfactorily addressed.

"Sinn Fein wants to see progress; we want the political institutions to be working effectively and delivering for all of our people. There are real and pressing issues out there - rising fuel costs, increases in the price of food and general cost of living increases, including a real crisis in the housing market.

"People expect the Executive and the institutions to be dealing with these matters but this can only happen on the basis of partnership government. That is Sinn Fein and the DUP, and the other parties, working together constructively within the Executive and institutions.

"There are those within the DUP who are opposed to this. They seek to advance narrow issues of concern only to themselves while they block matters of concern to others as well as issues which are in the common good. So, this is down to a question of leadership and political will."

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