SINN FEIN’S Martin McGuinness has accused the British government of being tight-fisted with money – when it was needed to cement the peace process.
UK Premier David Cameron offered £1 billion if a deal can be done on a range of issues including parades and the Irish language.
But the Derry politician said the British were treating the North like a British region like Scotland or Wales without taking into account the conflict here.
Mr McGuiness said Sinn Féin was distinctly underwhelmed by Mr Cameron’s offer.
He said Sinn Féin did not want to see the Stormont administration crash and wants the devolved institutions to continue.
Party leader Gerry Adams blasted Cameron and Taoiseach Enda Kenny in a tweet which read: “2 Govts exiting after most amateurish ham fisted episode I have ever been involved in.”
Mr McGuinness said: “Unfortunately, whatever you have been told by David Cameron, there was no credible financial package on offer to executive ministers to allow us to combat the austerity agenda that this government has been inflicting on us.
“Our job was to try and arrive at a financial package that would allow us to protect public service jobs and hospitals and keep teachers in schools – to provide the essential services our people deserve.
“Thus far we haven’t got that. But we don’t give up.”
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