NI Secretary rules out early elections

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy today ruled out early elections to the Stormont Assembly.

As he prepared to host round-table talks with the parties in the North next week in a bid to find a way to restore the suspended devolved administration, Mr Murphy said devolution had to be re-established before a decision was made on elections.

He said: “I don’t think elections would help at this stage.”

The hardline, anti-Good Friday Agreement Democratic Unionist Party, which confirmed it would be boycotting the talks next Thursday, is pressing for an early poll to give parties a fresh mandate rather than wait until the scheduled time for elections next May.

But Mr Murphy said the talks, to be jointly chaired by Minister for Foreign Affairs Brian Cowen, would focus on rebuilding trust and confidence among the parties.

“We don’t need to be obsessed with elections at the moment. The most important thing that is in front of us is the restoration and operation of the institutions.

“To do that we have got to restore confidence and trust between the parties.”

The question of paramilitary activity had to be addressed, but there were other issues as well, he said.

There would be an open agenda at the talks, he said. “I am not going to stop anybody saying anything they think.”

But he said: “We have to ensure above all else there is confidence and trust between the parties. A lack of that is what led to the suspension of the Assembly and that is what we have to address in the weeks ahead.”

Meanwhile the Rev Ian Paisley, leader of the DUP, said his party would not be at the talks because of the presence of Sinn Fein.

“It is ridiculous to ask IRA/Sinn Fein to sit down at the table at the present time when we realise what they have been up to.”

To have republicans at the table discussing the future of Northern Ireland was “outrageous”, he said.

The parties have been invited in a joint letter from Mr Murphy and Mr Cowen to send two delegates each to the talks next week.

But Mr Murphy said if the DUP did not want to attend he could not force them and they could make their views known separately to him if they wanted.