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

News Letter

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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