SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MLA said that the two Governments cannot go on “protecting the DUP and Sinn Féin” and the significant compromises they reached must be published to move the process forward.The Foyle MLA said: “With crisis in our health service and victims of institutional abuse being denied justice, it is disgraceful that we are yet to hear from the DUP and Sinn Féin on what progress they have made in the talks process.
“Both the Irish and British Governments confirmed to me that significant progress was made by both parties in November – yet both parties prefer to continue their status quo of secrecy rather than come clean with the public.
“The SDLP is up for working with all parties to restore local government here but with people paying the price of political failure – we cannot negotiate blind. The details of the compromises made by the DUP and Sinn Féin must be made public.
“People deserve to know the truth – rather than watching press conference after press conference filled with no substance only mantra after mantra.
“I told the Tánaiste and the Secretary of State that they cannot go on protecting the DUP and Sinn Féin – if we are to reach an agreement both Governments must not allow secret talks to be the basis of this process.
“After a year without government people are frustrated and they will not be taken for fools.
“Many across the North will be asking themselves what are these parties hiding? Why are they afraid to tell the public the truth?
“The SDLP want to see a government that delivers for people and that includes marriage equality, language rights, economic equality and justice for victims.
“So let me be very clear, if we don’t have a government here, we don’t have power – and if we don’t have power we won’t have any change.
“If the DUP and Sinn Féin are intending on going through the motions before handing all our power over to Theresa May and the British Government – they should know, the SDLP will not prop up a farce.”
