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03/04/2006
Sinn Féin meet with Prime Minister to discuss devolution
Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has travelled to London today to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the government's plans for restoring devolution in the province.
The party's Chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and north Belfast assembly member Gerry Kelly also accompanied Mr Adams to meet with Tony Blair at Downing Street.
This follows a meeting with the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin last week.
It is expected that the British and Irish Premiers will make an announcement later this week relating to the deadline for restoring the Stormont assembly.
Speaking prior to their departure Martin McGuinness said: "Sinn Féin's message to Tony Blair today is very simple - the British and Irish governments need to lift the suspension and restore the political institutions and they need to do this immediately.
"The sole task of the Assembly is the formation of a power sharing government as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. If the DUP refuses to allow this to happen then the governments need to move ahead. A Shadow Assembly with scrutiny committees is nothing more than a DUP attempt to restore unionist domination. That is not acceptable."
Mr McGuinness continued by saying that Sinn Fein will not consent to such an arrangement and that the party want to see the restoration of a full power sharing assembly as laid out in the Good Friday Agreement.
He added that all of the parties with the exception of the DUP have stated the same.
Over the weekend, DUP leader Ian Paisley said that the government's plan to reinstate a Northern Ireland Executive by the end of November was "nonsense."
Mr Paisley, whose party has suggested the formation of a shadow assembly, is due to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair tomorrow.
(EF/SP)
The party's Chief negotiator Martin McGuinness and north Belfast assembly member Gerry Kelly also accompanied Mr Adams to meet with Tony Blair at Downing Street.
This follows a meeting with the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in Dublin last week.
It is expected that the British and Irish Premiers will make an announcement later this week relating to the deadline for restoring the Stormont assembly.
Speaking prior to their departure Martin McGuinness said: "Sinn Féin's message to Tony Blair today is very simple - the British and Irish governments need to lift the suspension and restore the political institutions and they need to do this immediately.
"The sole task of the Assembly is the formation of a power sharing government as set out in the Good Friday Agreement. If the DUP refuses to allow this to happen then the governments need to move ahead. A Shadow Assembly with scrutiny committees is nothing more than a DUP attempt to restore unionist domination. That is not acceptable."
Mr McGuinness continued by saying that Sinn Fein will not consent to such an arrangement and that the party want to see the restoration of a full power sharing assembly as laid out in the Good Friday Agreement.
He added that all of the parties with the exception of the DUP have stated the same.
Over the weekend, DUP leader Ian Paisley said that the government's plan to reinstate a Northern Ireland Executive by the end of November was "nonsense."
Mr Paisley, whose party has suggested the formation of a shadow assembly, is due to meet Prime Minister Tony Blair tomorrow.
(EF/SP)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A chilly start with a widespread frost and some freezing fog, any freezing fog slow to clear. Otherwise bright with sunny spells and coastal showers. Light winds. Maximum temperature 6 °C.Tonight:Coastal showers dying out with a widespread frost developing along with freezing fog, which could become extensive. Winds remaining light. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
