SDLP leader and Foyle MLA Colum Eastwood
Mr Eastwood said that the case for restoring government is now more compelling than the reasons for its collapse and has urged party leaders to urgently agree a set of reforms that will kick start power sharing.
He said: “This week will mark 1000 days since the collapse of power sharing in the North.
“It should provide political leaders with a necessary moment of reflection on the squandered opportunities of the last two and a half years.
“More people are dying on hospital waiting lists. More children are waiting for additional support in our schools.
“Tens of thousands of people are preparing to be plunged into poverty when welfare mitigations run out.
“And what have we achieved? What has the strategy of stalemate and attrition delivered for our communities? Nothing.
“I understand the immense frustration with they way things are. I feel the weight of responsibility to break the cycle of deadlock and division.
“That’s why I’m calling on the leaders of each of the North’s parties to come together and agree a set of reforms that will kick start power sharing.
“Key to that package, in our view, is substantial reform of the Petition of Concern to bring an end to the dead-hand veto that parties have exercised to deny the human rights of others.
“If the goal in these negotiations is to force the DUP and others to vote for an Irish Language Act, Equal Marriage and other issues then we will never succeed.
“An approach aimed at one side winning and another losing is destined to fail.
“Every day we spend in our trenches, refusing to cooperate and meet the needs of people and communities across this island promotes the politics of division further.
“And it strengthens the position of those who are seeking to fight old wars on the streets of our communities.
“We are at a moment of choice. We can choose to occupy the space of brave accommodation or we can retreat to the narrow politics of blame, recrimination and stalemate.
“We cannot allow the moment to slip by,” added the MLA for Foyle.
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