Sinn Féin Leas Uachtarán Michelle O’Neill MLA said if the DUP applied the same creativity and imagination into restoring the institutions as they have in denying rights the Assembly would be functioning. 

Michelle O’Neill said

“The DUP’s stunt in the Assembly today was pointless, and achieved nothing other than to bring the political institutions into further disrepute and further undermine public confidence. 

“It is not lost on the public that the first time the DUP recalled the Assembly was yet another attempt to deny a section of our community rights.

“If the DUP applied the same creativity and imagination into getting the institutions up and running as they have in denying rights we would have a functioning Assembly. 

“Sinn Féin welcomes the end of the denial of the right of our LGBT brothers and sisters to marry the person they love. 

“We send our solidarity to all those who campaigned and worked to get this most basic human right over the line.

“Sinn Féin also welcomes the end of the archaic law criminalising women.

“There is a clear need to legislate for modern compassionate health care services for women.

“We will now respond to the consultation on the future of women’s health care and make the case for the harmonisation of law across the island. 

“Sinn Féin believes these rights issues should have been dealt with by a functioning Assembly and Executive.

“That has not been possible as the DUP have not engaged in meaningful negotiation since it walked away from a deal and talks in February 2018.

“The DUP’s denial of citizens’ rights, the negative impact of its toxic pact with the Tories and the British government’s abandonment of the impartiality required under the Good Friday Agreement have prevented the restoration of the institutions.

“Sinn Féin wants those institutions to be up and running on the basis of genuine power-sharing, of equality, rights and integrity and legislating for all.

“The next time we enter these institutions it should be to do real business with an Executive up and running and getting on with the serious work of government, on health, housing, education and the economy.”