“David Trimble for all his faults refused to engage with the Irish government when strand one issues were discussed during the Belfast Agreement. In October 2014 Peter Weir rightly said that “No self-respecting Unionist will be present in any meeting to discuss internal Northern Ireland business where a seat at the table is given to the Irish representatives”. Why does a Prime Minister in an arrangement with the DUP at Westminster think it is appropriate to issue such a statement?
“In addition to this fundamental constitutional point it is necessary to note the fact that these talks will result in nothing more than a sticking plaster exercise when what is demanded is fundamental democratic reform of a Stormont system which is incapable of working.
“I see no evidence that the parties which formed the last executive have any desire to move away from a system which can be held to ransom by those who cannot even bring themselves to say the words Northern Ireland much less bring us good government as part of the United Kingdom. For Republicans Stormont was only ever a staging post on their road to a united Ireland. For that basic fundamental reason devolution which cannot operate without their involvement in an executive will never be stable or long-lasting.”