North’s parties warned against ‘scorched earth’ election campaign

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has warned against a “scorched earth” approach to campaigning in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

He said Northern Ireland’s parties had to be mindful of their responsibility to re-establish the devolved institutions on the far side of polling day.

“A scorched earth approach to campaigning that agitates and divides for partisan purposes will only hamper the essential task of all parties re-engaging in a spirit of partnership and mutual respect in the democratic institutions of the Good Friday agreement,” he said.

During a Dáil debate on the North following the collapse of the executive, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said the absence of a fully functioning Northern executive when everyone should be focusing on Brexit was particularly troubling.

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He said there was unfinished business in delivering under the Belfast Agreement and other agreements, and in ensuring “that the spirit and principles of the agreements are not just written on paper but are lived and breathed throughout the work of their implementation”.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin claimed the decision to call an election “has dramatically increased the risk of Northern Ireland, and by extension the rest of this island, suffering due to the Brexit decisions being taken now”.

Scandals

Mr Martin claimed the controversial energy scheme which could cost the North £500 million (€578m) was the latest of many scandals which involved “regular partisan abuse of public funding in the North”.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said his party and the public could not continue to countenance the business conduct of the DUP within the executive and assembly.

He said the political institutions established by the Belfast Agreement could only function effectively “if agreements made are honoured and if there is zero tolerance for corruption”.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin said commentary in the South that the election would change nothing in the North was misguided. “We should not take the people for granted.”