Politics

Theresa May 'frustrated' by Stormont stalemate

 Theresa May arriving in Belfast today. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Theresa May arriving in Belfast today. Picture by Hugh Russell  Theresa May arriving in Belfast today. Picture by Hugh Russell

British Prime Minister Theresa May said the people of Northern Ireland deserve the restoration of devolved government as she expressed frustration about the lack of progress.

The prime minister used a speech in Belfast to insist that the British government was doing all it could to restore a power-sharing administration at Stormont.

She said the "resumption of political dialogue" should happen as soon as possible.

Ms May said: "It is a matter of frustration and regret that, after enjoying the longest period of unbroken devolved government since the 1960s, Northern Ireland has now been without a fully functioning Executive for over 18 months."

She added: "I want to see the Assembly and the Executive back, taking decisions on behalf of all of the people of Northern Ireland.

"They deserve no less."

During her two-day visit to Northern Ireland, Mrs May held talks with her Westminster confidence and supply partners, the DUP, an SDLP delegation and representatives from Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionists and the Alliance Party.

Ms May said: "We continue to do all we can to see the re-establishment of devolution and all of the institutions of the Belfast Agreement.

"But an agreement cannot be imposed. That needs to come from within Northern Ireland.

"A first step has to be the resumption of political dialogue aimed at finding a solution and that should begin as soon as possible."

She said that "interventions from Westminster are no substitute for decisions taken here".

 Campaigners calling for an Irish Language Act protest ahead of Theresa May's visit to the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Campaigners calling for an Irish Language Act protest ahead of Theresa May's visit to the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell  Campaigners calling for an Irish Language Act protest ahead of Theresa May's visit to the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

Mrs May met a Sinn Féin delegation earlier today.

Party president Mary Lou McDonald described their meeting as a "very challenging one", and accused Mrs May of "coming to pick a fight with Ireland and to pick a fight with the European Union".

Protesters from both the victims' community and those calling for an Irish language act for Northern Ireland gathered outside the hall ahead of Mrs May's arrival.

 Relatives of those killed in the Heights Bar in Loughinisland. Picture by Hugh Russell 
 Relatives of those killed in the Heights Bar in Loughinisland. Picture by Hugh Russell   Relatives of those killed in the Heights Bar in Loughinisland. Picture by Hugh Russell 

They missed their opportunity to confront the prime minister as she entered the building through a different door.However, she was earlier taken to task by teenagers from the Belfast Youth Forum during her visit to the Crescent Art Centre.One boy brought up the confidence and supply arrangement between the DUP and the Conservative Party.He told her: "I think your coalition infringes people's rights here."Mrs May replied: "In government, we work for and represent all communities."She left the art centre to shouts of "Redress now!" from crowds protesting on behalf of victims of state institutional abuse.

 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell
 Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell  Margaret McGuckin from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse. Picture by Hugh Russell

DUP leader Arlene Foster later welcomed the Mrs May's visit, and revealed she had pressed her on the need for "ministerial decision makers" in Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister traveled to the Irish border on Thursday at the DUP leader's invitation, she said.

"Nigel Dodds and I had a very constructive dinner with the Prime Minister on Thursday evening in Crom Castle," she said.

"During a two-and-a-half-hour discussion, we outlined the need for a sensible exit from the EU as well as the need for Ministerial decision-making in Northern Ireland.

"We urged the Prime Minister to recognise that the absence of an Executive could not be allowed to impede progress.

"The Secretary of State should take decisions to ensure that schools, hospitals and roads are not impacted by Sinn Fein's boycott of the Assembly and Executive."

Mrs Foster also welcomed the "theme and tone" of Mrs May's speech on Friday.

"The support for the Union as well as the clear statement that there can be no hard border nor new internal borders in the United Kingdom was good news," she said.