Northern Ireland: Restoring Devolution

Debate between Julian Smith and Paul Masterton

Monday 21st October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Julian Smith]

I plan to review all elements relating to the Assembly if we are unable to move things forward over the coming days.

[Paul Masterton (East Renfrewshire) (Con)]

Post Brexit, the Northern Ireland Assembly will have to make some incredibly serious and important decisions about Northern Ireland’s future. Do the kind of shambolic scenes that we saw at the Assembly this morning suggest that the institution is up to that task? If not, and if it is not restored, is the Secretary of State happy that he and his Department have all the powers necessary to take Northern Ireland through the transition and into the immediate period after we have left the EU?

[Julian Smith]

As I said earlier, the parties and individuals who will play a part in the Assembly and the Executive when they are up and running again are of extremely high quality. There is every opportunity for us to get this up and running and for it to go from strength to strength. That is so much more in the interests of Northern Ireland than taking or restoring powers from here.