Report on Institutional Issues

Part of Secretary of State Motion – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 12:00 pm on 3 October 2006.

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Photo of Edwin Poots Edwin Poots DUP 12:00, 3 October 2006

I was coming to that point. Fundamental changes are required. The ‘Report on Institutional Issues’ does not stand in isolation from the other reports that the PFG Committee produced. Each of those reports requires fundamental changes to be made before agreement can be reached.

The Ulster Unionist Party considers it acceptable to have unreconstructed terrorists in Government, but the DUP’s position is that paramilitary organisations must be completely disbanded. The Ulster Unionist Party is content for Members to be Ministers by day and terrorists by night, but the DUP says that terrorism must become a thing of the past. The Ulster Unionist Party is content for ministerial accountability to be considered unacceptable, but the DUP’s position is that Ministers must be accountable to the Assembly and the Executive. The Ulster Unionist Party is content that North/South bodies be unaccountable, but the DUP’s position is that any decisions taken must be accountable to the Assembly and the Executive. The Ulster Unionist Party is content for Ministers to be opposed to policing and justice, but the DUP’s position is that support for policing and justice is a prerequisite for any party to be in Government.