Sunak and Varadkar to meet new leaders of Stormont Executive
The Assembly returned on Saturday following a two-year political deadlock.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is to visit Northern Ireland to meet the leaders of the new powersharing Executive.
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will also be at Stormont for meetings on Monday.
The Assembly returned on Saturday following a two-year political deadlock, with Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill making history as Northern Ireland’s first nationalist First Minister.
The institutions were restored following a deal between Mr Sunak’s government and the DUP to allay unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
The Prime Minister will be welcomed to Stormont Castle on Monday by Ms O’Neill and deputy First Minister, the DUP’s Emma Little-Pengelly.
During his visit, his seventh to Northern Ireland, he will also carry out a number of community engagements, meeting people involved in public services.
The Government has pledged £3.3 billion for the new Executive to stabilise finances, including £600 million to settle public sector pay claims.
On Thursday, the Government fast-tracked two pieces of legislation contained in the agreement through the House of Commons as part of its agreement with the DUP, opening the way for Saturday’s return of the Assembly.
The new Executive is due to hold its first meeting on Monday.
Ms O’Neill told the PA news agency that it will need to begin work immediately on tackling public sector funding challenges.
She said: “I am determined to do our very best.
“This place has been starved of public services funding for over a decade because of the Tories in London, we can do much better than that.
“That’s a fight I think we have to fight together and I think there’s a combined effort across the Executive to have a proper funding model for here so we actually can do better public services and invest in the public sector workers.”