The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has issued a strong statement regarding political parties in the North, in which he urged them to accept their responsibilities and save the Stormont institutions.
Mr Kenny made his announcement after Stormont’s First Minister Peter Robinson resigned earlier this week along with a number of other DUP Ministers.
The news has meant that current Finance Minister Arlene Foster will be become acting First Minister, although she may not hold that position for long as there’s only a week left for talks amongst the remaining Ministers to save the collapse of the Assembly. It is understood a sudden collapse in the Assembly would result in a new election process in order to find a new First Minister along with a new Assembly.
The Taoiseach made his comments last night whilst he was addressing the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party in Adare in Co. Limerick, Mr Kenny issue an appeal to the North’s political parties calling on them to come back from the brink, the Taoiseach told the conference: “The Government are willing and available to support and work in any way with the parties in Northern Ireland in the interest of getting the executive and the assembly back on track.”
Mr Kenny further added: “The opportunity and time is quite limited, but I do hope that leadership within the parties will reflect upon the responsibility given to them by the people and that they would take that responsibility on board.”