The new Northern Ireland secretary has said she is optimistic that a deal can be reached in power-sharing talks which resume today.
Karen Bradley, who was appointed this month following the resignation of James Brokenshire, said she believes the differences between the North’s political parties are “narrow.”
The executive in Northern Ireland collapsed more than a year ago. Yesterday Leo Varadkar said that he would personally engage with the process if it would make a difference.
Ms Bradley said: “We made good progress in the talks up until November. The differences between the parties are narrow and they can be bridged. I am here to facilitate, I am here to make these talks work, and that is what I am determined to do.”
Ms Bradley told Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1 that she was “pragmatic” and that she wanted to make a success of this round of talks.
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Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign affairs minister and tánaiste, will also attend the talks this morning.
Ms Bradley said that the political parties came “very, very close to agreement” late last year and it was clear to her that agreement is within reach.
“The people of Northern Ireland had an election last year and voted for these politicians, so they have a duty to have a functioning assembly that delivers public services.” She said it was “imperative” that a new deal be brokered.
Mr Varadkar said yesterday: “I will strongly support the new talks process that has been initiated by Simon Coveney, the tánaiste and foreign affairs minister, who will be in Belfast, and the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley.
“I hope to have a chance to talk to the British prime minister, Theresa May, this week. The government is cognisant of its role as co-guarantor of the Good Friday agreement and its special role in vindicating the rights and wishes of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and I will be taking an interest in this on an ongoing basis and will become personally involved if we believe it can make a difference at a certain point,” he said.
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Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin’s leader in the North, said her party was ready to engage in the talks process and find a way through the current political impasse. “The Sinn Féin assembly team gathered today to prepare to enter into a short, sharp phase of negotiation,” she said. “Sinn Féin said we will enter these negotiations in order to try and resolve the issues at the heart of the current political impasse. Issues like marriage rights, language rights, the bill of rights and legacy inquests should not be politically contentious. They should be issues that we are able to resolve here as part of the current discussions.”
• Ireland is set to gain two new MEPs following a vote to redistribute seats in Brussels when Britain leaves the European Union, leaving Ireland with 13 MEPs. The constituencies that will gain are not yet known.