Speech given by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the immediate aftermath of the DUP executive meeting on the restoration of Stormont, 30.01.24

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Speech given by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in the immediate aftermath of the DUP executive meeting on the restoration of Stormont, 30.01.24 (taken from DUP YouTube channel)

Transcript

00:00 I want to make a statement first of all and then happy to take some questions.

00:06 In February 2022, the DUP withdrew the then First Minister as a consequence of the imposition

00:14 of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which did not have the support from the elected representatives

00:19 of unionism in Northern Ireland.

00:23 Prior to our decision, we warned that a failure to deal with the Protocol, its imposition

00:28 without consent and its disruptive impact on the delicate political balance was leading

00:35 to a non-sustainable position.

00:39 We have campaigned to seek substantial, meaningful and fundamental changes to the arrangements

00:45 first agreed by the UK Government in 2020.

00:50 Having taken a strong and principled stand, endorsed in May 2022 by a substantial mandate,

00:58 we were able to bring the UK Government and the European Commission back to the negotiating

01:04 table.

01:05 And while significant progress was made at the time of the Windsor Framework, we judged

01:11 that more work was required if we were to reach a point of securing arrangements that

01:18 unionists as well as nationalists can support.

01:22 Throughout much of this period, other parties in Northern Ireland were calling for rigorous

01:27 implementation of the Protocol.

01:31 In addition to undoing the damage of the Protocol on the Union and restoring Northern Ireland's

01:37 place within the United Kingdom and its internal market, we have worked with the UK Government

01:44 in our recent negotiations to ensure that going forward, Northern Ireland has the best

01:49 possible chance to tackle its short-term challenges and build longer-term prosperity within the

01:57 Union.

01:59 Our goal has been to secure the conditions that allow for the return of devolved government

02:05 on a sustainable basis, and where it can make a real and meaningful improvement in the lives

02:13 of all the people of this part of the United Kingdom.

02:18 The officers, Assembly Group, Parliamentary Group and the Central Executive of the Democratic

02:26 Unionist Party have now been briefed and considered all aspects of our negotiations between the

02:33 UK Government and the DUP.

02:37 I am pleased to report that the Party Executive has now endorsed the proposals that I have

02:44 put to them.

02:47 The Party has concluded that subject to the binding commitments between the Democratic

02:54 Unionist Party and the UK Government being fully and faithfully delivered as agreed,

03:01 including the tabling and passing of new legislative measures in Parliament and final agreement

03:09 on a timetable, the package of measures in totality does provide a basis for our Party

03:17 to nominate members to the Northern Ireland Executive, thus seeing the restoration of

03:23 the locally elected institutions.

03:28 We recognise that significant further advances have been achieved through these negotiations,

03:34 and the details of the new package of measures will be published by the UK Government in

03:41 due course.

03:43 This package I believe safeguards Northern Ireland's place in the Union and will restore

03:49 our place within the UK internal market.

03:53 It will remove checks for goods moving within the UK and remaining in Northern Ireland,

03:59 and will end Northern Ireland automatically following future EU laws.

04:06 There will be legislation to provide new legal and practical protections for the Acts of

04:13 Union, and which guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the rest

04:20 of the United Kingdom.

04:23 In the coming days, in addition to the publication of the details of the new package of proposals,

04:31 the UK Government will be required to deliver on the legislative commitments they have made

04:37 to us.

04:39 I am pleased to indicate that we have also secured a basis for cross-party support at

04:45 Westminster for the measures negotiated.

04:49 Therefore, regardless of who forms the next UK Government, these agreed measures will

04:56 be taken forward beyond the forthcoming General Election.

05:03 Throughout this process, we have been clear and have made clear we will only be able to

05:08 move after the Government faithfully delivers on the implementation of its legal and other

05:16 commitments.

05:18 The package of measures will require a significant number of actions to be taken, and we look

05:25 forward with confidence to their ongoing implementation according to an agreed timeline.

05:34 Upon that basis, the Democratic Unionist Party would support the calling of a meeting of

05:40 the Northern Ireland Assembly to elect a Speaker and to facilitate the nomination of Ministers.

05:49 In advance of the UK Government delivering on its commitments, as part of the package

05:54 of measures agreed with us, and the passing of new legislation through the House of Commons,

06:01 there is important preparatory work to be carried out so that local Ministers, when

06:06 nominated, can hit the ground running.

06:15 I believe that with the faithful delivery of this package of measures, hard work and

06:21 dedication, we will be able to look back on this moment as the defining time when Northern

06:27 Ireland's place within the Union was safeguarded and our place within the United Kingdom internal

06:34 market was restored.

06:37 Over the coming period, we will work alongside others to build a thriving Northern Ireland,

06:44 firmly within the Union, for this and succeeding generations.

06:50 When our grandchildren look back on this period, they will be able to say we had a just cause,

06:58 we held the line, we restored the balance and we secured a positive future for Northern

07:05 Ireland and its integral place in the Union of the United Kingdom.

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