Stormont: Protesters tell politicians to 'get back to work'

Protesters gathered outside Hillsborough Castle

Health workers staged a noisy protest demanding politicians "get back to work" as parties arrived for crucial talks with the government.

Protesters cornered the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) delegation after shouting "shame on you".

They also chanted slogans calling for a return to Stormont as other parties, including Sinn Féin, arrived.

The talks involved the five largest Stormont parties and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

At the meeting, Mr Heaton-Harris told the parties the UK government was offering £2.5bn to support the return of Stormont.

It would include a lump sum to settle public sector pay claims and a new "needs-based" funding formula for public services.

Stormont government departments are facing financial pressures and the responsibility for setting a budget has lain with Mr Heaton-Harris in the absence of devolved government.

The DUP has been boycotting power sharing for 22 months in protest at post-Brexit trade arrangements.

The party says the current plans undermine Northern Ireland's position in the UK internal market.

It has refused to nominate a deputy first minister to allow an executive to be formed and has also blocked the election of an assembly Speaker on a number of occasions.

Stephanie Greenwood of Unison speaks to Michelle O'Neill about public sector pay on the way into the talks

Mr Heaton-Harris said separate talks with the DUP aimed at ending the devolution hiatus had not ended, but were making progress.

Those discussions are taking place in parallel with discussions about finances.

"I want to agree the basis upon which the Northern Ireland Executive can return on a stable financial footing," Mr Heaton-Harris said before the talks with the five parties began.

"I also want to ensure that public services are able to meet the needs of the people of Northern Ireland.

"The UK government is willing to help, but all these issues can best be addressed by the return of locally accountable institutions built on secure foundations."

'Playing hide and seek'

Three has been speculation that the DUP is preparing to agree to re-enter government, however, the party has denied this.

Its leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and deputy leader Gavin Robinson were heckled by health workers as they arrived at Hillsborough Castle.

The workers also shouted "fair pay" as other politicians, including Sinn Féin's leader and deputy leader, arrived.

One protester told deputy leader Michelle O'Neill to tell Mr Heaton-Harris that he was "playing hide and seek".

Ms O'Neill said he was "playing hide and seek with everybody".

Stephanie Greenwood, chairperson of Unison, told Ms O'Neill: "You promised us in 2019 pay parity, we're just asking you to deliver on that promise."

The Sinn Féin deputy leader said she would be making that case to Mr Heaton-Harris.

Following the meeting, Ms O'Neill said the financial package offered by the UK government did not even "touch the surface" in terms of aiding public services.

"Public sector workers are standing behind us striking for fair pay and safe working conditions - that's not an acceptable position for them to be in," she said.

Speaking of returning to an executive, she said "We have a battle, but it's a battle the parties must fight together and take this right to the British government."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says his party feel the UK government's financial package isn't enough to restore devolution

The leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party felt the UK government's financial package was not enough to restore devolution.

"Our initial reaction is that it fall short of what is required to enable our public services to be placed on a sustainable basis in terms of the funding of those public services".

The DUP leader said there was "some way to go" on discussions both about finances and on the and Northern Ireland Protocol.

Alliance leader Naomi Long said the party was "heartened" by some of the financial offers put forward but it was "not sufficient" to address issues.

"This is not about a short-term fix, it is not about dangling baubles at us before Christmas and getting everybody to rush back," she said.

She added it was essential the parties get this deal right as it will have "generational impact".

'Eye watering figures'

The UUP leader, Doug Beattie, said the figures were "eyewatering but it's what happens next year and the year after that".

Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie talks to health care workers outside the talks' venue

"Initially it's quite attractive, but in the long term were not quite sure - we have to do a little bit more looking through it and negotiating around it," he said

He added he did not believe an executive could be established before Christmas.

'Work to do'

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said that there was still "work to do".

On the financial package being offered, he said: "In every discussion I have ever been in with the British government about money, everyone says that it is not enough."

Mr Eastwood said: "Most of the parties were clear that we have to get Stormont back up and running immediately."

On Sunday, Sinn Féin said the government had told it that post-Brexit arrangement talks with the DUP had ended.

But the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) said this was "totally incorrect".

The DUP said there was "further work yet to be completed" before negotiations with the government were over.

But Doug Beattie said he understood the talks were making good progress and were "nearing an end".

• How do we deal with Northern Ireland's public spending problems?

Early Christmas present?

The government may believe it's offered the parties an early Christmas present with the promise of lots of cash - but it's clear the parties have a much bigger wish list.

One local leader described it as London trying to "dangle baubles before Christmas", in the hopes of turning up the heat on the DUP to bring Stormont out of cold storage.

While Sinn Féin wants these discussions done within the next two days, the DUP has suggested that the process could run much longer.

Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson still has another deal to finalise with the government and crucially, sell that to his party members and unionist grassroots.

When it comes to financial packages in Northern Ireland, memories run long and the parties still point out that the last agreement they reached in 2020 saw the promise of more money than was delivered.

So while we're now officially in another Christmas talks process, in the view of one source who was in the room today there's not a "snowball's chance" of this being wrapped up before the new year.