Northern Ireland's politicians need to send a clear signal in the run-up to Christmas that they are serious about restoring power-sharing, a former Stormont minister insisted today.
As the North's parties prepared for another round of multi-party talks later this week, nationalist SDLP Assembly member Ms Carmel Hanna challenged Sinn Féin and the Ulster Unionists to show their determination to return to power sharing.
The South Belfast MLA, who served as Employment and Learning Minister before the multi-party executive was suspended by the British government in October, said: "This week will probably be the last opportunity for all the parties to meet before Christmas.
"It is essential that all parties should be able to agree an agenda for talks this coming week. It is vital that all parties work for the full implementation of the Agreement."
Northern Ireland's pro-Agreement parties have held a series of meetings in recent weeks with each other and the Irish and British governments in a bid to restore devolution.
However the political atmosphere soured over the past week when they clashed over two issues - the continuation of cross-border bodies implementing policies in Northern Ireland and the Republic and the devolution of justice and policing powers.
PA