Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan has launched a scathing attack on both Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party over their failure to create a functioning democracy in the North.

In an interview with the Sunday Independent, the minister slammed the political irresponsibility of the North’s two main political parties.

Mr Flanagan also warned Sinn Fein that it would pay a high political price in the Republic, if it continued to fail to get its house in order north of the border.

The minister outlined his concerns over the deteriorating state of the North’s institutions in face-to-face discussions with the North’s First Minister, Peter Robinson of the DUP, and his deputy, Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness, in recent weeks .

Mr Flanagan told the Sunday Independent: “I regret that, while there has been great progress over the last 16 years in civic society, the quality of change in political engagement has been less than many would have wished.

“The deadlock between Sinn Fein and the DUP is all the more unfortunate because it does not reflect the vibrant economy and positive atmosphere evident on the streets of places like Belfast.”

In a stark warning to the North’s main political parties, he added: “Politicians with a mandate need to fulfil that mandate; the people of Northern Ireland deserve a functioning assembly.”

The minister criticized the ongoing stalemate in Stormont over budgetary issues such as social welfare, health and education. “Bread-and-butter issues are not being acted upon in a manner that they should be in a functioning democracy,” he said.

Mr Flanagan said it was clear the two main parties in the North were failing to deliver basic services to the people who elected them to do just that.

“All elected politicians in the North, and I refer my remarks to the Unionists and Sinn Fein, should be mindful that the delivery of services to the citizens is a feature of normal democracies,” he added.

Aside from his criticisms of Sinn Fein, Mr Flanagan also said stronger leadership was needed from DUP leader Peter Robinson. The minister expressed deep unhappiness over the cancellation of the North-South Ministerial Council meeting in June.

The minister also expressed serious concern over Stormont’s failure to deliver on key aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.

He added: “Strand I of the Agreement [relating to the North’s political institutions as laid down in the Agreement] is not functioning, it would be very serious if Strand II [relations between the Irish and British governments and the North’s institutions] was seen to not be performing.”

Mr Flanagan said he has asked that the cancelled North-South Ministerial Council meeting goes ahead in October. He also warned Sinn Fein that voters in the Republic would be looking very closely at that party’s performance north of the border.

“Voters are beginning to see the two faces of Sinn Fein — a populist spendthrift party in Dublin and a disengaged party in Belfast,” he said.

“There are no more informed voters than the Irish, and I have no doubt they will be watching to see how Sinn Fein fulfil their responsibilities in the North.”

The Minister also rejected criticisms that the British and Irish governments were not doing enough to help Northern parties resolve their differences.

He added: “I have conveyed my concern that dysfunction and disengagement is not in the best interests of Northern Ireland, but when it comes to the much sought-after devolution, the Agreement places a primary responsibility on those who have been directly elected. There is a view, and it is a very widely-held view, that 16 years after the Agreement the devolved institutions should be self-sustaining, given the mandate secured by the biggest parties.

“Flags, emblems and parades are all very important and delicate, but I believe the primary duty on those with a mandate is to take the tough budgetary decisions that have to be made in government.”

Online Editors