Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has told Stormont’s leaders the “real work starts now” as he held talks in Belfast after powersharing returned to Northern Ireland.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who is also at Stormont to mark the restoration of devolution, said it was a “very positive day”.
The two leaders, whose governments are co-guarantors of the landmark Good Friday peace agreement, also met each other for a bilateral meeting at Parliament Buildings.
Later, Mr Sunak travelled the short distance to Stormont Castle for a meeting with Northern Ireland’s first ever nationalist First Minister, Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill, and her DUP counterpart, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
As the meeting got under way inside the castle, Mr Sunak told the joint heads of the ministerial executive: “It has taken a lot of hard work and indeed courage to get us sitting round this table.
“Today isn’t the end; it’s the beginning, and the real work starts now.”
Earlier, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, who accompanied Mr Sunak on his visit to Stormont, rejected claims by Stormont ministers that better funding is needed from the UK Government as powersharing returns.
The Cabinet minister insisted the £3.3 billion package offered by Westminster is “ample” for the Executive to “get on with the job”.
The newly-formed Executive has already written to the Prime Minister calling for urgent discussions on long-term funding stability to deliver public services.
Asked about claims that the current funding arrangement will not provide the basis for the Executive to deliver sustainable public services, the Northern Ireland Secretary told BBC Breakfast: “I don’t believe that is the case. I think Stormont has fantastic, strong foundations now and it will survive, it will be sustainable.”
He added: “There is a thing, I think, about choices. You’re going into politics, you have to make choices on these sorts of things.
It's great to be back in Northern Ireland – a special part of our United Kingdom.
After two years, it's clear how important the Assembly's return is to local people – giving them a say in issues that matter.
Now it's time to deliver a brighter future for Northern Ireland. pic.twitter.com/BEuh4B731C
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) February 4, 2024
“Those choices haven’t been made for a long time out here, and I believe the new set of ministers are completely capable of running their public finances perfectly well with the fair and generous funding package we’ve given them.
“There’s a £3.3 billion package available to ministers on day one here to get on with the job of sorting out Northern Ireland public sector pay, health services and a whole host of other things, and I’d say that’s ample for the time being.”
The new powersharing Executive will also hold its first meeting on Monday as it begins the task of trying to manage Northern Ireland’s strained finances.
The institutions were restored after a deal between Mr Sunak’s Government and the DUP to address unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements, which included passing new legislation at Westminster.
The UK Government’s £3.3 billion funding offer is aimed at stabilising finances in the region, and settling public sector pay claims.
The Prime Minister has said the offer represents “a generous and fair settlement”.
However, the letter from all Stormont ministers to the Prime Minister states that the current financial package on offer “does not provide the basis for the Executive to deliver sustainable public services and public finances”.
Ahead of Monday’s meeting with Mr Sunak, Ms O’Neill said: “If we are to tackle the serious problems across public services – in our hospitals and our schools – then how we are funded needs to change and I will be strongly pressing that point at today’s meeting.
“It is critical that the Executive has the right resources to deliver effective public services for all our citizens and we will engage with the Prime Minister to achieve our shared objective.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said the Executive would be “speaking with one voice” in its meeting with the Prime Minister.
She added: “We will be saying that the people of Northern Ireland deserve better public services and that we need to work together – the Executive and the Government – to deliver long-term fiscal stability.
“We are ready to engage with the Government and get down to the work of putting our finances on a sound footing.
“However, we will also be seeking to ensure the UK Government provides sufficient funding in a package to fulfil its promises on public sector pay.”