Northern Ireland political crisis: Politicians and key figures react to Fresh Start agreement

After 10 weeks of negotiations, a deal has been reached between British and Irish governments and Northern Irish politicians to resolve the political crisis at Stormont.

Agreements have been made on the issues of paramilitarism, finance and welfare reform, but the legacy of the Troubles remains unresolved.

Politicians and other key figures have reacted to the announcement of the deal on Tuesday.

Peter Robinson, Northern Ireland's first minister

"At the outset of this process I indicated that we needed to make Stormont fit for purpose and to secure an agreement that would deliver a stable and long-term basis upon which to operate.

"I believe we have secured that outcome.

"Today represents another milestone along the way as we normalise and build our society.

"We must ensure that through co-operation and common purpose the spirit, vision and promise of the document is fulfilled."

Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister

"At the heart of this agreement is our common commitment to a better future for all of our people.

"Peter and I are at one in our determination to defend core public services, to continue to attract foreign direct investment, support indigenous businesses and to provide more and better jobs.

"The legacy of the past remains a huge gap in this work. The onus remains on the British government to live up to their responsibilities to victims, in particular full disclosure."

Theresa Villiers, secretary of state for Northern Ireland

"This agreement deals with the issues that have cast the greatest shadow over the future of the devolved institutions here.

"This deal means that Northern Ireland's finances can be put back on a sustainable footing, ending the long-standing dispute over the budget.

"There will be a fresh emphasis on tackling paramilitarism and organised crime and clear declaration that such activity will never be tolerated."

Charlie Flanagan, Irish foreign affairs minister

"Today's agreement is another significant step in normalising politics and society in Northern Ireland, consolidating the hard won peace on this island.

"Devolved government in Northern Ireland is now placed on a more sustainable footing.

"This, together with the firm commitment to working for the ending paramilitarism, will help build the peaceful, reconciled, prosperous Northern Ireland its people deserve."

David Cameron, prime minister

"This breakthrough today is an important turning point for Northern Ireland.

"The agreement secures sustainability for Northern Ireland's budget, sets out how we'll deal with paramilitary groups, and could provide a basis for a shared future for the people of Northern Ireland.

"What is vital now is that the parties in Northern Ireland use this agreement as the platform for stable devolved government that delivers on the day-to-day issues that matter to people."

Enda Kenny, Irish prime minister

"The agreement provides the people of Northern Ireland with a chance to have the burden of thuggery, intimidation and sectarian hatred taken off their backs once and for all.

"[It is] a chance for peace to mean more than the absence of violence, 21 years after the ceasefires.

"[It is] a chance for a prosperous and inclusive society to flourish to its full potential."

John Kerry, US secretary of state

"I urge all of Northern Ireland's political leaders to support and fully implement this agreement.

"It was carefully constructed to deliver better and sustainable governance, as well as to advance Northern Ireland's peace process for the benefit of all the people of the region.

"I strongly encourage the UK and Irish governments and all the parties to continue their vital work to deal effectively with the past by creating the institutions set out in the Stormont House Agreement."

Colum Eastwood, Social Democratic and Labour Party leader

"We all signed up to a process where we would have all the parties around a table, trying to come up with a comprehensive deal, and then two parties went off and did their own deal.

"We're not going to sign up to anything until we've had a proper chance to look at it, but we're very disappointed that the issue around the past has once again been left out.

"The absence of comprehensive proposals on the past is a very serious failure. Those who persist in impeding truth and accountability cannot prevail."

David Ford, Alliance Party leader

"This document may be called A Fresh Start, [but] in terms of the feelings of the victims of the past, it's another false dawn."

"At this stage, it is not possible to credibly support a plan which doesn't detail where the money is coming from, no details where the money is to be spent, and which doesn't necessarily cover all the issues that need to be covered around paramilitarism.

"It's a half-baked plan, it's not a real move forward. It's not what they promised."

Michael McGimpsey, Ulster Unionist Party MLA

"There are, of course, a number of key questions that we will need answered to allow us to make that final decision [on whether or not to support it].

"For example, there's a startling omission of victims, there's nothing on the legacy of the past being addressed, we don't see paramilitary shootings, the IRA doesn't even get a mention, and that's before we even get into how the money is being handled."

Jim Allister, Traditional Unionist Voice leader

"Sweeping murder under the carpet is the abiding message of this Sinn Fein/DUP manifesto.

"There is no mention of IRA murder. There is no mention of decommissioning the weapons still held by the IRA.

"That shameful state of affairs will not be forgotten by the unionist electorate."

Mark Lindsay, Police Federation for Northern Ireland chairman

"If additional resources are now to be allocated to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, it would be the wish of this Federation that an adequate amount is ring-fenced to finance a long overdue expansion of the service.

"The £160m is promised over five years when actually that amount is required right now."

Alastair Hamilton, Invest Northern Ireland chief executive

"A reduced rate of corporation tax will open doors for us to be able to compete for, and seek to attract, new operations, which are tax sensitive.

"Today's announcement will provide a welcome boost to local, profitable businesses which will have additional finance to invest in their future growth."

Colin Walsh, Confederation of British Industry's Northern Ireland chairman

"This new deal must ensure there is a fully functioning executive which can deliver good government and make decisions in the best interests of Northern Ireland's future prosperity and all its citizens.

"I hope this deal will ensure we have brought an end to the series of standoffs and showdowns."

Stephen McCully, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce president

"Political stability and a Northern Ireland Executive pulling together on the economy is vital for business growth in Northern Ireland.

"With a [corporation tax] rate and date now in place, businesses can plan for growth and Invest NI can start selling the proposition to potential inward investors across the world.

Judith Thompson, Commissioner for Victims

"Whilst the agreement on welfare seeks to protect the most vulnerable in our society, many of whom are victims and survivors, the failure to agree over the legacy issues is a bitter pill for victims and survivors to swallow.

"The much campaigned for pension for the most severely injured is one of a number of critically important steps that need to be taken now to meet the needs and expectations of those who have suffered most."

Pat Finucane Centre and Justice for the Forgotten

"Those who lost loved-ones in the conflict will be privately grieving and angry at London's insistence that it must be able to redact/censor reports from the proposed Historical Investigations Unit on "national security" grounds.

"If London had this right, it could mean that families would never discover that state agents, informers, UDR soldiers and RUC men had a role in their relatives' murders."

Northern Ireland's church leaders

"We pray that this particular accommodation, reached in the interests of all, will be the basis for beginning to restore hope to those who are struggling and re-establish the trust that has been slowly ebbing from our political institutions."

WAVE Trauma Centre chief executive Sandra Peake

"The two governments and political parties have said that dealing with the suffering of victims and survivors is central to Northern Ireland moving forward.

"They can no longer say that with any credibility.

"The reality is that they have abandoned and betrayed victims and survivors who have repeatedly been promised that there would be an inclusive and comprehensive way found to deal with the legacy of the past."