SINN Féin was opposed to the use of Parliament Buildings at Stormont as the permanent home of the new Northern Ireland Assembly.
At a meeting with NIO minister Paul Murphy and officials on June 8, 1998 – on the eve of the first assembly elections – a Sinn Féin delegation including Martin McGuinness, Alex Maskey and Bairbre de Brun raised the question of location.
When the minister revealed that the Secretary of State Mo Mowlam felt that the first meeting should be held in Castle Buildings, Sinn Féin "voiced its total objection to Parliament Buildings or any other locations within the Stormont Estate".
The delegation believed that a complete break from the past was needed and a fresh start in a fresh location would provide greater encouragement for those in the nationalist community.
Sinn Féin delegates asked that alternative venues like Belfast City Hall, Queen’s University or the Harbour Commissioner’s building should be considered.
Mr Murphy agreed to pass these comments on to the secretary of state.
Sinn Féin also said it was dissatisfied with the lack of consultation afforded the party by government since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
And it highlighted the slow rate of progress on matters including the Irish language, all-Ireland bodies and policing.
It also raised the prime minister’s recent Belfast speech and "the willingness of the British Government to be bending over backwards to ensure (Ulster Unionist) Jeffrey Donaldson got on board when this was alienating parts of the nationalist community".
